more than just a medical clinic…

most of us complain at times about doctor’s waiting room times or perhaps how it might take two or three days to see our busy family doctor when we are sick.

imagine for a second that you have no ‘family doctor’.

you have never had a medical check-up.

you have no records of being vaccinated or immunised.

you have no mum or more experienced family member around to ask about how to treat that weird rash that just wont go away, (you know the one!!!).

imagine that when you do go to a doctor or to the hospital, in search of medical treatment, you face discrimination or lower quality care because you aren’t a local.

and that you have no way to pay for any medicine prescribed or the consultation bill.

today, thanks to Katherine Welch from Go Relentless, who coordinated and spearheaded an amazing team of health professionals, we bypassed all of those obstacles to ensure that fourteen young men received the best quality medical care of their lives to date.

today was urban light’s first ever medical clinic day.

it was so much more than just a bunch of medical consultations.

it might seem like not a whole lot to a casual observer.

the UL office was split into three examination rooms with some wobbly table tennis tables and a wall of paper sticky-taped together.

blood pressure readings were taken. weight and height measured. lungs and heartbeat listened to. questions asked and answered.

all except one of our regular boys wanted (with a little prodding) a consultation.

the quality of care was better than most of us get in the West.

there was no hurrying, no rush.

quality was the priority.

today I saw our boys respected.

i saw them listened to.

i saw their concerns addressed.

i saw their fears relieved.

i saw love in action.

and today was just a beginning… a starting point… a base line…

we hope to make this a regular part of life at urban light.

as I watched one curious 16 year old boy listen to the beat of his own heart through a stethoscope for the first time, I found myself believing that perhaps, just maybe, in spite of all the odds stacked against him, this exploited, homeless kid could someday be a doctor.

it’s unlikely. but on days like today, the impossible seems not quite so far out of reach.

i’m so proud of the gifted team who planned and executed such a brilliant day.

huge thanks to the medical team, alex for all your organising and the UL team on the ground for being your usual level of brilliant.

thanks to everyone who is praying and supporting the efforts of urban light each day. may you be encouraged and stirred to continue to give yourself to this redeeming work alongside us.

love

age