The Phone

One of the most important parts of my job is answering the telephone. It seems like a routine task that could be assigned to anyone. But the telephone is the most important part of my ministry. The person on the other end of the line is calling with a need. Sometimes it is a need that can be addressed by our clinic. Often, it is not. We don’t have funds to help pay for past medical expenses, we don’t have funds for healthcare provided elsewhere, nor do we have funds for the multitude of needs that people have in today’s society. So, I listen, I problem-solve, and when possible help individuals figure out where to go for the help they need. Some days that is easy, others times not so much.

This was a typical phone call: “I am calling for my fiancé. He has been throwing up – can’t keep anything down, but he won’t go to the emergency room. We just can’t afford to pay for that.” I ask how long this has been going on, and the answer: “For months.”