I've been a member of Samaritan Ministries' Christian Health Care Newsletter program for almost 2 years now, and I will never go back to health insurance. Let me rephrase that: I will never go back to health insurance... unless the government makes me.
The concept of the Christian Health Care Newsletter is refreshingly simple (funny how biblical concepts often are): every month I receive the name/address/medical concern of another member. I send a card with a personal note and a check directly to him/her. I pray for complete healing, as well as patience and peace in the midst of suffering. If I were to wind up with medical bills, the same would be done for me by other members.
Because every applicant must pledge Christian conduct, including no smoking or illicit relationships, and supply written approval from his/her pastor and another Christian, my checks do not go to support health problems that are the result of unbiblical behavior. I love that. A lot.
Since I've never had to be on the receiving end, my membership in the CHN was somewhat abstract--until this past February. My assigned need for the month was a woman who had lost her husband to a heart attack, and now had piles of hospital bills. I sent my share and prayed for her, but it wasn't till a couple weeks later that I got a note from an old college friend... it was her dad who had passed away. She had been helping her mom sort through the 600 (yes, 600!) cards from praying Christians, when she saw my name, as well as another college classmate's. Helping a friend's family through such a deep loss--that's priceless.
"Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
1 comment:
Your posts are always encouraging. They make me smile and they make me proud!
Love you!
Mom
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