Compassionate people meeting practical needs 

Young, growing ministry offers free health care

Compassionate Health Care (CHC) opened its doors on September 9 for two hours and saw its first four patients. The highest daily patient count so far has been 10, which is difficult to do in two hours - especially since
this is not production line medicine but compassionate care, which takes
time and prayer.

The center offers limited consultation in general health, pre-natal care, hygiene and parenting skills as well as chiropractic care. The staff also will be working with crisis pregnancy centers and other agencies to provide compassionate care to people in need.

According to Linda, meeting needs is what it's all about. "I'm excited to see what God will do as we help people. It's sort of like the tithing thing." Linda explains that God's way with money applies to compassion, too. "You just can't seem to out-give God."

"So many look down on poverty," Linda says, and she should know. She grew up in a family of eight, Idaho-grown kids who, according to Linda, "barely survived." Her heart is for the children - to help them turn their life from poverty to opportunity, to help them overcome any victim mentality lurking in their self-perception.

Linda dreamed of being a doctor when she was growing up and the dream never faded. "Through our Compassionate Health Care, God has given me the desire of my heart."

Currently the center is staffed with two nurse practitioners, three registered nurses, three on-call doctors and a chiropractor, Travis Wilson. Dr. Wilson gives up his lunch hour every Wednesday to come over from his Meridian office to share his chiropractic skills. "He has a wonderful heart and is very interested in missions," Linda says.

"June Watson is our receptionist and hospitality queen," according to Velma Thiebolt, nurse practitioner and one of the driving forces behind CHC. "June just makes everyone feel so welcome, loved and cared for. She sets the tone for the whole operation. The last thing we want is for a patient to feel rushed or treated like a number."

Velma has felt God's call on her life to do full-time medical missions. "I have found that I don't have to go oversees to fulfill God's call. I'm doing it right here at Compassionate Health Care," she says. "It's the blessing you receive in return for blessing others." Velma seems to agree with her colleague Linda: "It's like that tithe thing." 

Many people and businesses within the health care industry have been extremely generous in helping to launch CHC and keep it running. 

Everything from examination tables to medical instruments to bandages have been donated. 

Linda and her team say much thanks is due to the Fred Meyer Pharmacy as well as many pharmaceutical representatives and physicians throughout the valley for their kindness and help.

Although the staff can write prescriptions, the center does not have a pharmacy and no medicine is stored in the Barnabas Center. Sometimes, however, God supplies as needed. One Saturday, a gentleman came to The Pantry for food and was not feeling well, so he took advantage of the care center. Velma examined him, found that he had pneumonia and was able to provide him with medication right on the spot. Someone - we do not know who - dropped off the medicine needed sometime earlier.

Then there is "The Tamale Lady." The center serves an entire Spanish-speaking family and, as a heartfelt thank you for the blessing CHC has been to her family, the mother brought hot, fresh, homemade tamales for the whole staff.

As the center sees more Hispanics, there is a growing need for bilingual people to translate during hours of operation and help make follow-up calls.