This blog was originally published in The Luke Clinic’s monthly newsletter.
I want to share a wonderful experience that we had at the clinic recently. It truly illustrates how our God, the “God who sees,” brings people to us for care and how you, the supporters of The Luke Clinic, play a vital role.
A previous patient came back for prenatal care. We were thrilled to see her and her son as they are both such a sweet family. She is a wonderful caring and loving mom, and we just adore her.
Sadly, we discovered she had become the victim of domestic violence that very morning and she was unable and afraid to return home. We called over thirteen domestic violence shelters—none of which had any room. We tried every shelter we knew of as far as Bay City, Lansing, and Adrian. Eventually, Pastor Tyler Cronkright from Family of God, Detroit offered to pay for a hotel. We decided it was best to take her to a local hotel close to the clinic office so we could take care of her immediate needs.
All she had with her was her purse, as she had fled without thinking about what would happen next. Thank goodness Meijer was open 24 hours! After the clinic finished, we took her shopping for some basic toiletries, clothes, and food supplies, dropping her off at the hotel around midnight. Pastor Matt Canion from Living Water, Whitmore Lake provided breakfast. A local business ran a tab for her for lunch and dinner. Volunteers from the clinic had given me money for food and supplies. The hotel we were using gave us a heavily discounted rate and offered to host future moms seeking shelter for us.
We tried, again and again, to find a place in a shelter to no avail. We invited her to come to church with us on Sunday, which was a complete joy. Living Water is a founding supporter of The Luke Clinic and was simply thrilled to have a delightful family from Detroit join them for worship. Families quietly came to me and offered to cover additional nights in the hotel, provided gift cards, and offered to provide accommodation in their homes.
We transitioned this family to a congregational member’s home. Meanwhile, we were thrilled to discover that our patient could apply for a place in a Wellspring Lutheran Services transitional housing program. Again, volunteers stepped up to drive her to the interview. She was successful and is now safe and hopeful to start her new life from scratch. Volunteers moved her into the program; others took her shopping for food supplies.
Our staff was overwhelmed by how many people heard God’s call to help us provide for this precious family. All in all, it cost around $850 to transition this family to a new home and an opportunity to live safely in the hope of a better future.
This is the work we do. Simply providing prenatal and infant care is often not enough. We do whatever it takes to “save lives, empower women, and build faith.”
Please know that our funds are in short supply. We operate this ministry by the grace of God and with the support of each one of you who reads this newsletter. We honestly will have to curtail some of our operations if we cannot cover our expenses. Please prayerfully consider a donation to help cover the summer budget shortfall.
To learn how you can contribute with your time or treasure, visit thelukeclinic.org.
Photos of various clients courtesy of The Luke Clinic
