It came up in Sunday School yesterday that people should pray for our leaders, namely our President, to make wise choices in regards to health care and other issues - I whole-heartedly agree that as Christians we should pray for our leaders. I know personally I have trouble praying good things for some people sometimes - especially when they dog you in your Sunday school class about health care -jk-
If you truly want to pray good things for our President - here is my suggestion - Try praying for his pastors
Lieut. Carey Cash – Camp David – Obama’s Church Pastor - When Obama attends Church, this is who preaches.
Kirbyjon Caldwell and T.D. Jakes – Obama’s Personal Ministers - These men pray with Obama at least once per month
Otis Moss Jr., Joel Hunter, Vashti McKenzie – Obama’s Policy Advisers in regards to spiritual things - part of his cabinet - regular access to Obama.
Cash, Caldwell, Jakes and Moss Jr., all went to Southern Baptist Seminary Schools - Caldwell and Jakes are from Texas, Cash served in Iraq, where he reportedly baptised 60 Marines.
Do I think that this is a publicity stunt to encourage people to believe that Obama is now lockstep with the conservative Christians? Sure I do, but that doesn't change the fact that it sounds like he has allowed some Christian men into his life, even if it is a very small part of his life.
Pray that these men will be true to their faith, and will turn the heart of their leader towards God.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
I received this interesting email today, I thought I would share it and my response to it.
"Hi Amanda,
I read with interest your blog about the “Free Healthcare Now” petition. I too received one, so when I found your comments from a Google search, I was very interested with what you as a Christian believer had to say.
I am not clear on a few of your points, however:
1. You said that the USA has one of the highest infant mortality rates and the lowest life expectancy rates among many nations.
What facts do you have to support such claims?
2. You cite anecdotal evidence that our health care system is inferior to that of countries such as Canada, Europe, etc. that have socialized medicine. What facts do you have to support such claims?
The late great senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said “Everyone has a right to their own OPINIONS, but everyone does not have a right to their own FACTS.”
The 46,000,000 your blog says are not insured are inflated numbers: many of those included in that number are illegal aliens, who have seriously taxed the health care system in this country. I do not think a discussion of nationalized healthcare should be tainted with cooked statistics. Taking care of the medical needs of illegal aliens is not the task of the United States. If private, philanthropic and religious groups take care of this, that is well and good; it does not seem to me that this is the responsibility of our country.
You thoughts to these matters would be appreciated.
J ******* of Metro Atlanta Georgia"
My response:
Hi Jon,
The CDC is the one who says that we have the highest infant mortality rate of the western world, They do make their calculations per capata - so population has little to do with the actual rate - I also recently read an article that claimed the calculations could be skewed because we report more accurately than other countries - I tend to think that is an excuse, however; the life expectancy in America is also lagging behind these other countries - and I'm not sure how one could argue that statistic as skewed by reporting - either you're dead or you're not.
Many people, myself included, accept lousy coverage as opposed to no coverage. If a nationalized health plan, similar to Medicare and Medicaid is passed, I think that many people who are currently insured will jump ship with the lousy coverage they have, and try out the new national coverage. So the 46 million anticipated to flood the system could be quite a bit higher.
I've heard a lot of arguments for and against nationalized health care - most of them boil down to money.
The people who have money to afford good coverage or good coverage provided by an employer as part of their compensation- want to keep the current system because they believe that when they get sick, or when their loved one gets sick they will have the care they need. Many of these same people also believe that they are taxed enough already, and should not have to pay for more and more spending.
While I agree that I am taxed enough already, I can not in good conscience, agree that whomever has the money should get good health care, and whomever doesn't - shouldn't. As a Christian my example is Christ - Love God first and love others as I love myself - I can not imagine treating myself, or agreeing to a plan to treat myself, as many Americans are currently treated - which is not at all. Currently I don't have a doctor - I didn't see them for over 18 months so they dropped me from their practice, if I am sick I go to Urgent care which costs me $100.00 a pop - at least they will see me - this is why I hadn't been to my doc in so long, when I was sick they couldn't see me for days, so I would go to urgent care rather than suffer for 4 or 5 more days. My son's have a doctor - who I called last week when my oldest managed to find a nail to step on (that went through his shoe and into his foot.) I have learned that when I call them - I don't come out and just tell them what I want until I ask questions to figure out what is needed- I asked them when his last tetanus shot was - it had been 5 years ago this July, then I then told them what was going on. The receptionist, qualified health care worker that she is, informed me he didn't need a tetanus shot, I asked to speak to the nurse who said he probably did need the shot, but they couldn't see us for 4 or 5 days - she recommended the ER. We ended up going to the health department that afternoon for their shot clinic - they gave my son the shot he needed free of charge, they would not take my insurance card, or money. Now I can tell you someone paid for that shot!
The argument that those with money to afford good health care should be allowed to do so, is in itself flawed. The fact is our current system is overwhelmed, people are going to the ER for silly things like a tetanus shot! The government, meaning my tax dollars, ended up paying for a shot that I had insurance to cover, because of a system that is completely broken. The second problem with the system as it stands currently is if you develop a disease that will take hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat, and will make it so you can not work - you will quickly find yourself out of a job, and uninsured - forcing our government to pick up the tab under our current medicaid program.
I have a friend who was recently treated for cancer - horrible ordeal he went through - he was young enough that he was still working, took FMLA and returned to work a few months after surgery. His employer had to pay a percentage of his costs, if layoffs come around at his work place, who do you think is going to be laid off first? Then my friend with a pre-existing condition will have no coverage, and if he can't work due to a recurrence in his condition he will be forced onto Medicaid.
This addresses the final argument that many people have about nationalized health care - the government is going to be the only insurer, and we won't have a choice. You may be right. Unless insurance companies change their practices, they will most certainly be out of a job. I am not in favor of a government run system, I am in favor of an insurance plan like Medicaid that I can buy into, if I chose to - this is the plan that has the widest approval over all. I hope this is the plan that is implemented because it will force large national for profit companies to cut profits and start making a difference.
The main problem that I see with any plan is the flood of people that it is going to send into the system. I don't think for a second that the hospitals are going to change how they do business - private insurer's reimburse them at a higher rate, and more quickly than Medicare or Medicaid. Unless a claim is over a certain threshold, private insurer's pay without much questioning, Medicaid and Medicare have a process which scrutinizes every claim - doctor's, nurses, hospitals, even social service workers - know this, and treat those insured under private plans much better than those under medicaid - they almost look at a medicaid patient as a freebie - nobody is going to get paid. That's why people who are the poorest of the poor are dumped off on Faith Mission, after minimal care.
I also think that employers- seeking greater profits in a down economy - are going to dump their employees off onto the government. Large employers - like Walmart - have already done this - actually circulating fliers to teach low income employees how to apply for and get medicaid in their states.
As a Christian - I see that the love of money - the root of all evil - rules this world - from the poor to the rich - everyone has their hand out, no one wants to pay - everyone wants greater profits.
This makes me very sad - I see nationalized health care as 1 small step in a direction of moral responsibility for others. People hate it when you say that - they scream "socialist" - but I am not a Socialist, or a Marxist, or a Humanist - these all lower the standards to make everyone the same. I believe we should raise the standards to make things more just. Actions have consequences and even under grace we have to live with those, so not everyone should be treated the same - but everyone should be treated as we would want to be treated, showing mercy towards one another, because of the Great Mercy that was shown to us.
In the early church (1AD) to whom do you think the sick went? When I visited Kenya this past summer I saw the church functioning as it should- the sick go to the pastor - he, with the help of a nurse, treated most common illnesses, only the very very sick actually went to the hospital (I have only heard of 2 people in their village in the past year who went to the hospital) While I ultimately believe that the church should fill the gap in health care, churches with a Nurse Practitioner on staff could offer walk in free appointments and a chance to show people how much we care- I don't ever see that happening - we can't even fill the gap in the Wednesday night service or Bible study departments!
So who will fill that gap? You have the choice between two lousy providers - Our Government and For Profit Insurer's. As usual the fault for the state of things in this country being what it is - falls completely on the Church. We have not through example or action done much of anything to help avert or deal with this crisis - if the Church would step up and do the things that Jesus commanded us to do, Barack Obama would be out of things to change.
Some facts mixed in with my 2cents
Amanda
"Hi Amanda,
I read with interest your blog about the “Free Healthcare Now” petition. I too received one, so when I found your comments from a Google search, I was very interested with what you as a Christian believer had to say.
I am not clear on a few of your points, however:
1. You said that the USA has one of the highest infant mortality rates and the lowest life expectancy rates among many nations.
What facts do you have to support such claims?
2. You cite anecdotal evidence that our health care system is inferior to that of countries such as Canada, Europe, etc. that have socialized medicine. What facts do you have to support such claims?
The late great senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said “Everyone has a right to their own OPINIONS, but everyone does not have a right to their own FACTS.”
The 46,000,000 your blog says are not insured are inflated numbers: many of those included in that number are illegal aliens, who have seriously taxed the health care system in this country. I do not think a discussion of nationalized healthcare should be tainted with cooked statistics. Taking care of the medical needs of illegal aliens is not the task of the United States. If private, philanthropic and religious groups take care of this, that is well and good; it does not seem to me that this is the responsibility of our country.
You thoughts to these matters would be appreciated.
J ******* of Metro Atlanta Georgia"
My response:
Hi Jon,
The CDC is the one who says that we have the highest infant mortality rate of the western world, They do make their calculations per capata - so population has little to do with the actual rate - I also recently read an article that claimed the calculations could be skewed because we report more accurately than other countries - I tend to think that is an excuse, however; the life expectancy in America is also lagging behind these other countries - and I'm not sure how one could argue that statistic as skewed by reporting - either you're dead or you're not.
Many people, myself included, accept lousy coverage as opposed to no coverage. If a nationalized health plan, similar to Medicare and Medicaid is passed, I think that many people who are currently insured will jump ship with the lousy coverage they have, and try out the new national coverage. So the 46 million anticipated to flood the system could be quite a bit higher.
I've heard a lot of arguments for and against nationalized health care - most of them boil down to money.
The people who have money to afford good coverage or good coverage provided by an employer as part of their compensation- want to keep the current system because they believe that when they get sick, or when their loved one gets sick they will have the care they need. Many of these same people also believe that they are taxed enough already, and should not have to pay for more and more spending.
While I agree that I am taxed enough already, I can not in good conscience, agree that whomever has the money should get good health care, and whomever doesn't - shouldn't. As a Christian my example is Christ - Love God first and love others as I love myself - I can not imagine treating myself, or agreeing to a plan to treat myself, as many Americans are currently treated - which is not at all. Currently I don't have a doctor - I didn't see them for over 18 months so they dropped me from their practice, if I am sick I go to Urgent care which costs me $100.00 a pop - at least they will see me - this is why I hadn't been to my doc in so long, when I was sick they couldn't see me for days, so I would go to urgent care rather than suffer for 4 or 5 more days. My son's have a doctor - who I called last week when my oldest managed to find a nail to step on (that went through his shoe and into his foot.) I have learned that when I call them - I don't come out and just tell them what I want until I ask questions to figure out what is needed- I asked them when his last tetanus shot was - it had been 5 years ago this July, then I then told them what was going on. The receptionist, qualified health care worker that she is, informed me he didn't need a tetanus shot, I asked to speak to the nurse who said he probably did need the shot, but they couldn't see us for 4 or 5 days - she recommended the ER. We ended up going to the health department that afternoon for their shot clinic - they gave my son the shot he needed free of charge, they would not take my insurance card, or money. Now I can tell you someone paid for that shot!
The argument that those with money to afford good health care should be allowed to do so, is in itself flawed. The fact is our current system is overwhelmed, people are going to the ER for silly things like a tetanus shot! The government, meaning my tax dollars, ended up paying for a shot that I had insurance to cover, because of a system that is completely broken. The second problem with the system as it stands currently is if you develop a disease that will take hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat, and will make it so you can not work - you will quickly find yourself out of a job, and uninsured - forcing our government to pick up the tab under our current medicaid program.
I have a friend who was recently treated for cancer - horrible ordeal he went through - he was young enough that he was still working, took FMLA and returned to work a few months after surgery. His employer had to pay a percentage of his costs, if layoffs come around at his work place, who do you think is going to be laid off first? Then my friend with a pre-existing condition will have no coverage, and if he can't work due to a recurrence in his condition he will be forced onto Medicaid.
This addresses the final argument that many people have about nationalized health care - the government is going to be the only insurer, and we won't have a choice. You may be right. Unless insurance companies change their practices, they will most certainly be out of a job. I am not in favor of a government run system, I am in favor of an insurance plan like Medicaid that I can buy into, if I chose to - this is the plan that has the widest approval over all. I hope this is the plan that is implemented because it will force large national for profit companies to cut profits and start making a difference.
The main problem that I see with any plan is the flood of people that it is going to send into the system. I don't think for a second that the hospitals are going to change how they do business - private insurer's reimburse them at a higher rate, and more quickly than Medicare or Medicaid. Unless a claim is over a certain threshold, private insurer's pay without much questioning, Medicaid and Medicare have a process which scrutinizes every claim - doctor's, nurses, hospitals, even social service workers - know this, and treat those insured under private plans much better than those under medicaid - they almost look at a medicaid patient as a freebie - nobody is going to get paid. That's why people who are the poorest of the poor are dumped off on Faith Mission, after minimal care.
I also think that employers- seeking greater profits in a down economy - are going to dump their employees off onto the government. Large employers - like Walmart - have already done this - actually circulating fliers to teach low income employees how to apply for and get medicaid in their states.
As a Christian - I see that the love of money - the root of all evil - rules this world - from the poor to the rich - everyone has their hand out, no one wants to pay - everyone wants greater profits.
This makes me very sad - I see nationalized health care as 1 small step in a direction of moral responsibility for others. People hate it when you say that - they scream "socialist" - but I am not a Socialist, or a Marxist, or a Humanist - these all lower the standards to make everyone the same. I believe we should raise the standards to make things more just. Actions have consequences and even under grace we have to live with those, so not everyone should be treated the same - but everyone should be treated as we would want to be treated, showing mercy towards one another, because of the Great Mercy that was shown to us.
In the early church (1AD) to whom do you think the sick went? When I visited Kenya this past summer I saw the church functioning as it should- the sick go to the pastor - he, with the help of a nurse, treated most common illnesses, only the very very sick actually went to the hospital (I have only heard of 2 people in their village in the past year who went to the hospital) While I ultimately believe that the church should fill the gap in health care, churches with a Nurse Practitioner on staff could offer walk in free appointments and a chance to show people how much we care- I don't ever see that happening - we can't even fill the gap in the Wednesday night service or Bible study departments!
So who will fill that gap? You have the choice between two lousy providers - Our Government and For Profit Insurer's. As usual the fault for the state of things in this country being what it is - falls completely on the Church. We have not through example or action done much of anything to help avert or deal with this crisis - if the Church would step up and do the things that Jesus commanded us to do, Barack Obama would be out of things to change.
Some facts mixed in with my 2cents
Amanda
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Healthcare
I got a forwarded email today that said "free our healthcare now" It basically said no free healthcare should be provided, but that the government is hijacking our healthcare system by trying to institute nationalized healthcare.
I want to be able to chose my doctor - pay what I can afford, chose my insurance company, and have no waits, no denials and all that other stuff too - but the only insurance I can get is what is offered from Drason's work - and we have looked into buying insurance privately- our current insurance isn't affordable (about $350.00 a month) - the in network doctors stink, the co pays and deductibles are outrageous, my RX's aren't covered - one medicine that Mason needed was $348.00 - we couldn't afford to have it filled! So while I would LOVE to have all of the things on that website's list - the fact is that the only countries who actually have that stuff are Canada, France, Sweden and most of Europe.
The US has the HIGHEST infant mortality rate and the LOWEST life expectancy of most of the western world, on top of all that our doctor's are the best paid and we have the most mal-practice suits.
At Faith Mission, where Drason works, they have uninsured people dropped off by cab drivers in front of the mission almost weekly. They are the poorest of the poor - they should be covered by any number government of programs - but hospitals are so money hungry they treat them as minimally as possible - if at all - stick them in a cab, dressed in only a hospital gown, and dump them on the side of the road -many of them are hardly able to stand or walk - very few are able to coherently give their name and any information about themselves or their condition.
When I worked at C***** Medical in Columbus, I was taught how to manipulate insurance plans, provide cheap off brand diabetic supplies, and coach people into begging their insurance companies to pay for it. I can not tell you how many old ladies I spoke to on the phone that had Medicare part A, B, and D(Medicare part D is actually privitized - so it isn't really medicare - gov't run - it is run by insurance companies), and their very necessary diabetic meter and test strips, which SHOULD have been covered in their part D plans, were not covered and cost them several hundred dollars a month. So the old ladies asked me - a sales person - if they could take their blood sugar 1 time a day instead of 3 times a day. We were asked this so often that there was an employee handbook chapter that told us how to handle this. Here is how we were expected to respond - we call the doctor's office for them- explain the insurance coverage to the nurses - who can sometimes give them free supplies - but who more often then not we either talk to the doctor and explain the insurance coverage, or the nurses talk to the doctor's. The result was always the same - the doctor's change the orders to test once a day instead of the three times a day that is needed. The old ladies ask me if this is ok, if this will be good enough. We were actually given scripted responses so that we could lead them to believe that it was ok, without legally acting as a medical services provider - needless to say I quit that job after about 3 months - I could not "sell" the medical supplies to the patients and pretend that I didn't know they were getting completely ripped off. I was constantly put in a position that required me to negotiate a compromise between the medical care required and the medical care that the insurance company would pay for- or that the patient could afford.
The point is this - I don't know what the answer is to these problems - but our health care system is extremely broken. Some say lawsuits cause the cost - but even the insurance companies estimate this to be only 1/2 of one percent of the actual cost of health care, personally I think it is the companies themselves that are causing the problems - take it that my experience with insurance companies has not been good -but it is my experience that these people are out to make money - and a lot of it!
Many Christian people I know are very much against any nationalized healthcare - be that as it may - The following was taken from the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
"Washington - President Obama has indicated he wants a healthcare bill on his desk sometime around October, before we worry about timetables, however, we as a nation have to answer two very fundamental questions.
First, should all Americans be entitled to healthcare in the same way we respond to other basic needs such as education, police, and fire protection? Second, if we are to provide quality healthcare to all, how do we accomplish that in the most cost-effective way?
The answer to the first question is pretty clear, and one of the reasons that Barack Obama was elected president. Most Americans believe that all of us should have healthcare coverage, and that nobody should be left out of the system. The real debate is how we accomplish that goal in an affordable and sustainable way.
To me, the evidence is overwhelming that we must end the private insurance company domination of healthcare in our country and move toward a publicly funded, single-payer, Medicare-for-all approach.
Our current private health insurance system is the most costly, wasteful, complicated, and bureaucratic in the world. But in America, the people who have to navigate that maze are the lucky ones. Today, 46 million people have no health insurance and even more are underinsured with high deductibles and co-payments. At a time when 60 million people, including many with insurance, do not have access to a medical home base, more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses. That is six times the number who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Despite the fact that we spend almost twice as much per person on healthcare as any other country, our healthcare outcomes lag behind many other nations. According to the World Health Organization, the United States ranks 37th in terms of health system performance and we are far behind many other countries in terms of such important indices as infant mortality, life expectancy, and preventable deaths.
The main reason we get such bad results is that the function of private health insurance companies is not to provide quality healthcare for all, but to make huge profits for those who own the companies. With thousands of different health benefit programs designed to maximize profits, private health insurance companies spend an incredible 30 percent of each healthcare dollar on administration and billing, exorbitant CEO compensation packages, advertising, lobbying, and campaign contributions. Public programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the department of Veterans Affairs are administered for far less.
In recent years, while we have experienced an acute shortage of primary healthcare doctors as well as nurses and dentists, we are paying for a huge increase in healthcare bureaucrats and bill collectors. Over the past three decades, the number of administrative personnel has grown by 25 times the number of physicians.
While healthcare costs are soaring, it should surprise no one that profits of private health insurance companies are more than keeping pace.
From 2003 to 2007, the combined profits of the nation's major health insurance companies increased by 170 percent. And, while more and more Americans are losing their jobs and health insurance, the top executives in the industry are receiving lavish compensation packages.
It's not just William McGuire, the former head of United Health, who several years ago accumulated stock options worth an estimated $1.6 billion, or Cigna CEO Edward Hanway who made more than $120 million in the past five years. The reality is that CEO compensation for the top health insurance companies now averages $14.2 million.
The president has been supportive of a public option – a plan that people could opt into if they are uninsured or don't like their private coverage. But the situation is extremely fluid. How do you get to the root of a problem when you fail to take on the private health industry?
The time is now for our nation to address the most profound moral and economic issue we face. The time is now for our country to join the rest of the industrialized world and provide cost-effective, comprehensive, quality healthcare to every man, woman, and child in our country. The time is now to take on the powerful special interests in the insurance and pharmaceutical industries and pass a single-payer national healthcare program.
Bernie Sanders is an independent senator for Vermont and a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee."
I want to be able to chose my doctor - pay what I can afford, chose my insurance company, and have no waits, no denials and all that other stuff too - but the only insurance I can get is what is offered from Drason's work - and we have looked into buying insurance privately- our current insurance isn't affordable (about $350.00 a month) - the in network doctors stink, the co pays and deductibles are outrageous, my RX's aren't covered - one medicine that Mason needed was $348.00 - we couldn't afford to have it filled! So while I would LOVE to have all of the things on that website's list - the fact is that the only countries who actually have that stuff are Canada, France, Sweden and most of Europe.
The US has the HIGHEST infant mortality rate and the LOWEST life expectancy of most of the western world, on top of all that our doctor's are the best paid and we have the most mal-practice suits.
At Faith Mission, where Drason works, they have uninsured people dropped off by cab drivers in front of the mission almost weekly. They are the poorest of the poor - they should be covered by any number government of programs - but hospitals are so money hungry they treat them as minimally as possible - if at all - stick them in a cab, dressed in only a hospital gown, and dump them on the side of the road -many of them are hardly able to stand or walk - very few are able to coherently give their name and any information about themselves or their condition.
When I worked at C***** Medical in Columbus, I was taught how to manipulate insurance plans, provide cheap off brand diabetic supplies, and coach people into begging their insurance companies to pay for it. I can not tell you how many old ladies I spoke to on the phone that had Medicare part A, B, and D(Medicare part D is actually privitized - so it isn't really medicare - gov't run - it is run by insurance companies), and their very necessary diabetic meter and test strips, which SHOULD have been covered in their part D plans, were not covered and cost them several hundred dollars a month. So the old ladies asked me - a sales person - if they could take their blood sugar 1 time a day instead of 3 times a day. We were asked this so often that there was an employee handbook chapter that told us how to handle this. Here is how we were expected to respond - we call the doctor's office for them- explain the insurance coverage to the nurses - who can sometimes give them free supplies - but who more often then not we either talk to the doctor and explain the insurance coverage, or the nurses talk to the doctor's. The result was always the same - the doctor's change the orders to test once a day instead of the three times a day that is needed. The old ladies ask me if this is ok, if this will be good enough. We were actually given scripted responses so that we could lead them to believe that it was ok, without legally acting as a medical services provider - needless to say I quit that job after about 3 months - I could not "sell" the medical supplies to the patients and pretend that I didn't know they were getting completely ripped off. I was constantly put in a position that required me to negotiate a compromise between the medical care required and the medical care that the insurance company would pay for- or that the patient could afford.
The point is this - I don't know what the answer is to these problems - but our health care system is extremely broken. Some say lawsuits cause the cost - but even the insurance companies estimate this to be only 1/2 of one percent of the actual cost of health care, personally I think it is the companies themselves that are causing the problems - take it that my experience with insurance companies has not been good -but it is my experience that these people are out to make money - and a lot of it!
Many Christian people I know are very much against any nationalized healthcare - be that as it may - The following was taken from the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
"Washington - President Obama has indicated he wants a healthcare bill on his desk sometime around October, before we worry about timetables, however, we as a nation have to answer two very fundamental questions.
First, should all Americans be entitled to healthcare in the same way we respond to other basic needs such as education, police, and fire protection? Second, if we are to provide quality healthcare to all, how do we accomplish that in the most cost-effective way?
The answer to the first question is pretty clear, and one of the reasons that Barack Obama was elected president. Most Americans believe that all of us should have healthcare coverage, and that nobody should be left out of the system. The real debate is how we accomplish that goal in an affordable and sustainable way.
To me, the evidence is overwhelming that we must end the private insurance company domination of healthcare in our country and move toward a publicly funded, single-payer, Medicare-for-all approach.
Our current private health insurance system is the most costly, wasteful, complicated, and bureaucratic in the world. But in America, the people who have to navigate that maze are the lucky ones. Today, 46 million people have no health insurance and even more are underinsured with high deductibles and co-payments. At a time when 60 million people, including many with insurance, do not have access to a medical home base, more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses. That is six times the number who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Despite the fact that we spend almost twice as much per person on healthcare as any other country, our healthcare outcomes lag behind many other nations. According to the World Health Organization, the United States ranks 37th in terms of health system performance and we are far behind many other countries in terms of such important indices as infant mortality, life expectancy, and preventable deaths.
The main reason we get such bad results is that the function of private health insurance companies is not to provide quality healthcare for all, but to make huge profits for those who own the companies. With thousands of different health benefit programs designed to maximize profits, private health insurance companies spend an incredible 30 percent of each healthcare dollar on administration and billing, exorbitant CEO compensation packages, advertising, lobbying, and campaign contributions. Public programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the department of Veterans Affairs are administered for far less.
In recent years, while we have experienced an acute shortage of primary healthcare doctors as well as nurses and dentists, we are paying for a huge increase in healthcare bureaucrats and bill collectors. Over the past three decades, the number of administrative personnel has grown by 25 times the number of physicians.
While healthcare costs are soaring, it should surprise no one that profits of private health insurance companies are more than keeping pace.
From 2003 to 2007, the combined profits of the nation's major health insurance companies increased by 170 percent. And, while more and more Americans are losing their jobs and health insurance, the top executives in the industry are receiving lavish compensation packages.
It's not just William McGuire, the former head of United Health, who several years ago accumulated stock options worth an estimated $1.6 billion, or Cigna CEO Edward Hanway who made more than $120 million in the past five years. The reality is that CEO compensation for the top health insurance companies now averages $14.2 million.
The president has been supportive of a public option – a plan that people could opt into if they are uninsured or don't like their private coverage. But the situation is extremely fluid. How do you get to the root of a problem when you fail to take on the private health industry?
The time is now for our nation to address the most profound moral and economic issue we face. The time is now for our country to join the rest of the industrialized world and provide cost-effective, comprehensive, quality healthcare to every man, woman, and child in our country. The time is now to take on the powerful special interests in the insurance and pharmaceutical industries and pass a single-payer national healthcare program.
Bernie Sanders is an independent senator for Vermont and a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee."
Friday, June 12, 2009
News from Kenya
Here is the latest email from the Gregies - enjoy =]
June 9, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
So much has happened here since we last communicated. Most of you know Pastor F was very ill for several days. He is home now recuperating, (thank the Lord!) but we had some very tense days. The short story is after an overnight stay with x-rays in a private hospital in M********, we (meaning family, friends and M*** a nurse practitioner) took him to M*****, then K*****, back to M***** for surgery. The x-rays in M*********showed nothing, but the surgeon insisted he had ruptured ulcers that necessitated opening him up to “scrape” them out. After that procedure was refused, the Dr's ego was apparently so wounded, that not only did Pastor need to leave that Hospital, but had to find another that would accept him in M*****. (I guess news travels fast). The C-scan in K***** showed the problem to be the appendix. It was removed and he seems to be doing well. B - his wife, and Pastor A never left his side. After the pastor was home we heard the spiritual testimony that was also a big part of the medical drama. It seems a few members of his family became so concerned with the outcome of his illness, they consulted a local witch doctor. They were informed that this was all a trap of the devil and was intended to kill him. They were instructed to go to the hospital and secretly smear the curative ingredients on his body, and attach the “object” to his sheet before the surgery or he would die. Well they were not able to keep the secret, so the wonderful testimony to the family follows; (short version) “I know you love me; you know I left the traditional way years ago to follow Jesus, if I die, I die in the arms of the Lord. Please respect my decision.” So the real trap was the death of his faith, and even in the midst of such pain and suffering, he was able to stand firm and trust the Lord to take care of him. It was a great victory for the pastor, and a great witness to his family. The long version has been shared many times already! So we are glad to have him back and I’m sure he is glad to be home.
The four of us picked up the slack with the teachings at school, and keeping the home with 9 children running. F - our cook, and J -more help, are here most of the time (and although seldom needed they are effective disciplinarians). We mostly supervised. I know what is going through everyone’s head at home when you hear nine children! It is completely different here. All of the bathing, laundry, and cooking is done outside and mostly by the 2 older girls, S*** and D***. They are orphan children and mid-teens. P*** (pastors’ oldest daughter, about 9) was also a hard worker. The boys do their own laundry as well. The little girls, 6 or 7 yrs, D*****(pastors) and Z***** (orphan) washed the dishes (outside in a dish pan) M**** (orphan) and H**** (pastors) took care of the cows and goats watering and grazing. V**** took on the “man of the family role” and little K**** is everyone’s entertainment. They all had pills, syrups and tablets to take, not sure what for, but it was all Mom approved so I just kept with the program. Baths before supper (insisted upon by me) their supper time is so late the little ones often fall asleep eating. The first night the boys were accidentally locked out of the house they usually sleep in, so we had to set up a makeshift bed and mosquito net in the living room. I think it was an adventure for them Ha! Make sure all of the uniforms are washed for tomorrow, count heads in the bed in this house before locking the door for the night! (Not pleasant to wake up in the night and realize “I don’t REALLY know that all of the children are in here, because I forgot to count heads tonight!” UGH) that only happened once, early in the saga. They are wonderful children, a joy to be with and we enjoy them very much. The good news is-no one needs to be driven anywhere!
A few weeks ago we went to the VISA office in M****** to make sure the process was begun to acquire our E-Permits (missionary status) to stay here in Kenya. We are currently on a tourist VISA that is stamped for 6 months (clearly stamped). Well upon our arrival, we were informed our VISA s had expired, and we could be put in jail! (They weren’t kidding). Seems that the VISA is good for 3 months, then renewed (with a fee) for the full 6 months. Could they show us this on the paper work? No! That is just how it works! Pony-up the money and we could be on our way! Well, applications, fingerprints, photos were all attached to the extension paperwork. (The passport photos needed to be cut apart; there are no scissors in this government office! NONE! I had my little Leatherman in my backpack and used that!) We left with our receipt, good until the original date of August 12. We are in the process of submitting all paperwork for the E-Permit. Please pray that this will go smoothly, with no surprises, or unobtainable information. It all has to be submitted by the end of June to allow 6 weeks to process. The offices do have a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean. (We did check all of this out before we left the States, and were assured the process was simple and couldn’t be submitted until we were actually here) So we have complete peace that the Lord is in control of whether we stay longer or go back home in August. As we wait, we keep on with the daily routine.
About three weeks ago we went to watch the older children from school participate in the Track and Field competition for the area. We guestimated about 2,000 students participating. It was held in G*******. There is a large public school, with a soccer/track behind it. The field is surrounded by trees so we had really nice shade most of the day. The field is just that; a cow field. The children dodged cow patties and coral outcroppings as they ran pell-mell to the finish line. The older boys sounded like a herd of horses pounding the ground. Did I mention the event was mostly done bare footed? I counted 3 pair of tennis shoes. The crowd of children watching and cheering the races kept drifting over the race lanes, only to be beaten back with a stick. As soon as the stick passed the blob merged back onto the track LOL. We had a great time watching and cheering, and it was especially fun because we knew so many of the children. Three of the place holders in the events were orphan children! We kept a really wide distance from the javelin (also blobbed into to see where the javelin was landing). Our school children were brought their lunch of beans and rice from the school. As for what I could see, they were the only ones with lunch. Greg went back and brought the huge sufarias (pots) and cooks in the back of the SUV. The start “gun” was two boards smacked together! Postings of winners were on a chalk board. The high jump bar was a branch pulled off of a tree. A good time was had by all.
We have had several days of nice soaking rain and sunshine. Praise the Lord! The corn is growing, and everyone is breathing a little easier.
We have had more new babies, need a notebook to keep up with all of them. Greg was supposed to name the last one, but there was a communication problem, so her name is M******* S***. Her father is not yet saved, an alcoholic, so we were pleased he asked the four of us to come and do the dedication. She is beautiful and tiny. We guessed 5-6 pounds, looks healthy. There was a concern about the delivery, last time she had seizures and was unconscious. No problems with this home birth. The mother is proud of her, and a Christian. We are praying the family becomes complete and brings Glory to the Lord.
About three weeks ago John, Greg and A*****went to J****** home to witness to her husband. They had to be there early in the morning while he was still sober! The husband was not receptive, but his brother put the bottle down, listened to the Word, and prayed to receive Christ. He has been coming regularly on Thursday for Bible study. He was not sure about church attendance as he does not own a pair of pants. He wears the traditional kikoi (Ki-koy) which wraps around the waist like a skirt. One of the men here found some pants for him; I think he is not quite ready for church attendance yet. He was also concerned about his acceptance because not too long ago this spring he “jumped on the witch Doctors back”. What this means is during a ceremony, when the witch Doctor is dancing around, a person who wants to be a witch doctor jumps on his back so the people all see that the power is being transferred to the rider. It is a public statement of training, and following. Then the w.d. shaves the trainees head and puts some kind of markings on the head, so everyone also sees that. (His hair has grown back enough to cover it). So many issues need to be considered for people’s peace of mind. J****** became a Christian shortly before we arrived. She was practicing witchcraft and wants to destroy the objects and idols she was using to perform the ceremonies. Her husband won’t let her take the things out of the house, but she seems to feel relieved of the burden of responsibility because she has asked. She is the number five wife.
The new hotmail address is sending everything quickly, but we are getting a lot of junk mail, and have to remain online to read.
Thank you all for emailing us. We love to get news from home. I finally figured out how to chat live on Face Book last night. I was talking to Amy Smith and Amanda Sillin at the same time! I was so excited; I could hardly hit the keys! LOL
Love The Gregies (roll the R!)
June 9, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
So much has happened here since we last communicated. Most of you know Pastor F was very ill for several days. He is home now recuperating, (thank the Lord!) but we had some very tense days. The short story is after an overnight stay with x-rays in a private hospital in M********, we (meaning family, friends and M*** a nurse practitioner) took him to M*****, then K*****, back to M***** for surgery. The x-rays in M*********showed nothing, but the surgeon insisted he had ruptured ulcers that necessitated opening him up to “scrape” them out. After that procedure was refused, the Dr's ego was apparently so wounded, that not only did Pastor need to leave that Hospital, but had to find another that would accept him in M*****. (I guess news travels fast). The C-scan in K***** showed the problem to be the appendix. It was removed and he seems to be doing well. B - his wife, and Pastor A never left his side. After the pastor was home we heard the spiritual testimony that was also a big part of the medical drama. It seems a few members of his family became so concerned with the outcome of his illness, they consulted a local witch doctor. They were informed that this was all a trap of the devil and was intended to kill him. They were instructed to go to the hospital and secretly smear the curative ingredients on his body, and attach the “object” to his sheet before the surgery or he would die. Well they were not able to keep the secret, so the wonderful testimony to the family follows; (short version) “I know you love me; you know I left the traditional way years ago to follow Jesus, if I die, I die in the arms of the Lord. Please respect my decision.” So the real trap was the death of his faith, and even in the midst of such pain and suffering, he was able to stand firm and trust the Lord to take care of him. It was a great victory for the pastor, and a great witness to his family. The long version has been shared many times already! So we are glad to have him back and I’m sure he is glad to be home.
The four of us picked up the slack with the teachings at school, and keeping the home with 9 children running. F - our cook, and J -more help, are here most of the time (and although seldom needed they are effective disciplinarians). We mostly supervised. I know what is going through everyone’s head at home when you hear nine children! It is completely different here. All of the bathing, laundry, and cooking is done outside and mostly by the 2 older girls, S*** and D***. They are orphan children and mid-teens. P*** (pastors’ oldest daughter, about 9) was also a hard worker. The boys do their own laundry as well. The little girls, 6 or 7 yrs, D*****(pastors) and Z***** (orphan) washed the dishes (outside in a dish pan) M**** (orphan) and H**** (pastors) took care of the cows and goats watering and grazing. V**** took on the “man of the family role” and little K**** is everyone’s entertainment. They all had pills, syrups and tablets to take, not sure what for, but it was all Mom approved so I just kept with the program. Baths before supper (insisted upon by me) their supper time is so late the little ones often fall asleep eating. The first night the boys were accidentally locked out of the house they usually sleep in, so we had to set up a makeshift bed and mosquito net in the living room. I think it was an adventure for them Ha! Make sure all of the uniforms are washed for tomorrow, count heads in the bed in this house before locking the door for the night! (Not pleasant to wake up in the night and realize “I don’t REALLY know that all of the children are in here, because I forgot to count heads tonight!” UGH) that only happened once, early in the saga. They are wonderful children, a joy to be with and we enjoy them very much. The good news is-no one needs to be driven anywhere!
A few weeks ago we went to the VISA office in M****** to make sure the process was begun to acquire our E-Permits (missionary status) to stay here in Kenya. We are currently on a tourist VISA that is stamped for 6 months (clearly stamped). Well upon our arrival, we were informed our VISA s had expired, and we could be put in jail! (They weren’t kidding). Seems that the VISA is good for 3 months, then renewed (with a fee) for the full 6 months. Could they show us this on the paper work? No! That is just how it works! Pony-up the money and we could be on our way! Well, applications, fingerprints, photos were all attached to the extension paperwork. (The passport photos needed to be cut apart; there are no scissors in this government office! NONE! I had my little Leatherman in my backpack and used that!) We left with our receipt, good until the original date of August 12. We are in the process of submitting all paperwork for the E-Permit. Please pray that this will go smoothly, with no surprises, or unobtainable information. It all has to be submitted by the end of June to allow 6 weeks to process. The offices do have a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean. (We did check all of this out before we left the States, and were assured the process was simple and couldn’t be submitted until we were actually here) So we have complete peace that the Lord is in control of whether we stay longer or go back home in August. As we wait, we keep on with the daily routine.
About three weeks ago we went to watch the older children from school participate in the Track and Field competition for the area. We guestimated about 2,000 students participating. It was held in G*******. There is a large public school, with a soccer/track behind it. The field is surrounded by trees so we had really nice shade most of the day. The field is just that; a cow field. The children dodged cow patties and coral outcroppings as they ran pell-mell to the finish line. The older boys sounded like a herd of horses pounding the ground. Did I mention the event was mostly done bare footed? I counted 3 pair of tennis shoes. The crowd of children watching and cheering the races kept drifting over the race lanes, only to be beaten back with a stick. As soon as the stick passed the blob merged back onto the track LOL. We had a great time watching and cheering, and it was especially fun because we knew so many of the children. Three of the place holders in the events were orphan children! We kept a really wide distance from the javelin (also blobbed into to see where the javelin was landing). Our school children were brought their lunch of beans and rice from the school. As for what I could see, they were the only ones with lunch. Greg went back and brought the huge sufarias (pots) and cooks in the back of the SUV. The start “gun” was two boards smacked together! Postings of winners were on a chalk board. The high jump bar was a branch pulled off of a tree. A good time was had by all.
We have had several days of nice soaking rain and sunshine. Praise the Lord! The corn is growing, and everyone is breathing a little easier.
We have had more new babies, need a notebook to keep up with all of them. Greg was supposed to name the last one, but there was a communication problem, so her name is M******* S***. Her father is not yet saved, an alcoholic, so we were pleased he asked the four of us to come and do the dedication. She is beautiful and tiny. We guessed 5-6 pounds, looks healthy. There was a concern about the delivery, last time she had seizures and was unconscious. No problems with this home birth. The mother is proud of her, and a Christian. We are praying the family becomes complete and brings Glory to the Lord.
About three weeks ago John, Greg and A*****went to J****** home to witness to her husband. They had to be there early in the morning while he was still sober! The husband was not receptive, but his brother put the bottle down, listened to the Word, and prayed to receive Christ. He has been coming regularly on Thursday for Bible study. He was not sure about church attendance as he does not own a pair of pants. He wears the traditional kikoi (Ki-koy) which wraps around the waist like a skirt. One of the men here found some pants for him; I think he is not quite ready for church attendance yet. He was also concerned about his acceptance because not too long ago this spring he “jumped on the witch Doctors back”. What this means is during a ceremony, when the witch Doctor is dancing around, a person who wants to be a witch doctor jumps on his back so the people all see that the power is being transferred to the rider. It is a public statement of training, and following. Then the w.d. shaves the trainees head and puts some kind of markings on the head, so everyone also sees that. (His hair has grown back enough to cover it). So many issues need to be considered for people’s peace of mind. J****** became a Christian shortly before we arrived. She was practicing witchcraft and wants to destroy the objects and idols she was using to perform the ceremonies. Her husband won’t let her take the things out of the house, but she seems to feel relieved of the burden of responsibility because she has asked. She is the number five wife.
The new hotmail address is sending everything quickly, but we are getting a lot of junk mail, and have to remain online to read.
Thank you all for emailing us. We love to get news from home. I finally figured out how to chat live on Face Book last night. I was talking to Amy Smith and Amanda Sillin at the same time! I was so excited; I could hardly hit the keys! LOL
Love The Gregies (roll the R!)
Monday, June 8, 2009
More than I deserve
A few months ago Drason and I switched cell phone carriers - no big deal - at the cell phone store we were given 3 phones, which should have cost about $50.00 each, at the time the sales person said that since they didn't have the phones we wanted, they would give us a deal on these phones - which were pretty nice.
So today - guess what shows up in the mail? Three-$50.00 rebate credit cards from the company - they gave them to us even though we only paid for the activation of the account - when we asked about this the store said to keep the cards, they were just happy to have our business. These couldn't have come at a better time, money is usually tight, but it is extremely tight right now, especially since we, all five of us, are planning on traveling to Kenya in early August.
Guess what else was in the mail? Our lease agreement on the rental house. It has been a year since the fire, and the insurance company is stopping the payments for our rental house. I called the land lord to see if we could work something out, and she was very vague about the details. I really had very little hope that they would reduce the rent at all. Then today we get the lease in the mail and we were stunned - We had asked them to adjust the rent down, but they knocked $400.00 off the monthly rent!
Praise God for His goodness - even though we don't deserve it - He always provides!
Amanda
So today - guess what shows up in the mail? Three-$50.00 rebate credit cards from the company - they gave them to us even though we only paid for the activation of the account - when we asked about this the store said to keep the cards, they were just happy to have our business. These couldn't have come at a better time, money is usually tight, but it is extremely tight right now, especially since we, all five of us, are planning on traveling to Kenya in early August.
Guess what else was in the mail? Our lease agreement on the rental house. It has been a year since the fire, and the insurance company is stopping the payments for our rental house. I called the land lord to see if we could work something out, and she was very vague about the details. I really had very little hope that they would reduce the rent at all. Then today we get the lease in the mail and we were stunned - We had asked them to adjust the rent down, but they knocked $400.00 off the monthly rent!
Praise God for His goodness - even though we don't deserve it - He always provides!
Amanda
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Keep Praying
I shared this with Amanda and she insisted that I post it.
Today at work we had an all staff meeting to talk about the changes that will take effect on July 1st. Once the meeting was over the directors asked if we had any questions. Nobody did. Then one of the Engagement Staff started to speak. I think it is cool when you can see the Holy Spirit working on somebody to do/say something.
He started with a little of a stutter. If you know him you know he is kind of a quiet guy. He normally doesn't say much. This is what he said; "I hope this doesn't offend anyone. As many of you know [director's name] has been struggling with cancer for several months now. He is doing well. But I think that we should pray for him and his doctor's. Him for strength and his doctors for knowledge on how to treat him and the cancer." And in something I have never seen at a business everyone, everyone, agreed. They started clapping and whistling. Then the Engagement Staff person went to the front and took the man's hands, everyone else laid their hands on those closest to them, with those closest putting their hands on the man. And we prayed for him for several minutes. When we were done he was wiping tears from his eyes, and he wasn't the only one.
I can't imagine any other company allowing that, let alone participating. I am lucky to work in such an environment. Sometimes the guys ask us why the have the success the have, and granted we are only sucessful for 1 out of 4, but that is about 10% better than anyone else. I think it is because we are a Christian organization, not just a social service organization. Keep praying.
-Drason
Today at work we had an all staff meeting to talk about the changes that will take effect on July 1st. Once the meeting was over the directors asked if we had any questions. Nobody did. Then one of the Engagement Staff started to speak. I think it is cool when you can see the Holy Spirit working on somebody to do/say something.
He started with a little of a stutter. If you know him you know he is kind of a quiet guy. He normally doesn't say much. This is what he said; "I hope this doesn't offend anyone. As many of you know [director's name] has been struggling with cancer for several months now. He is doing well. But I think that we should pray for him and his doctor's. Him for strength and his doctors for knowledge on how to treat him and the cancer." And in something I have never seen at a business everyone, everyone, agreed. They started clapping and whistling. Then the Engagement Staff person went to the front and took the man's hands, everyone else laid their hands on those closest to them, with those closest putting their hands on the man. And we prayed for him for several minutes. When we were done he was wiping tears from his eyes, and he wasn't the only one.
I can't imagine any other company allowing that, let alone participating. I am lucky to work in such an environment. Sometimes the guys ask us why the have the success the have, and granted we are only sucessful for 1 out of 4, but that is about 10% better than anyone else. I think it is because we are a Christian organization, not just a social service organization. Keep praying.
-Drason
One in Ten for the One
Luke 17:11-19
11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”
I usually don't get online before my quiet time, today was an exception and now I think I see why. I was reading on line today about churches, many of them seemed to be struggling to find answers to the same problems.
One man, who said he was a pastor, stated that about 10% of his congregation participates in a ministry at church - are willing to follow the leadership and serve where ever they are needed. The other 90% are there to be served. Then I read this passage.
As you may know I am reading the book of Luke right now - this was just the next thing in line in the book of Luke - I didn't pick it.
Sounds to me like there is nothing new under the sun. Jesus heals 10 men - all 10 are cured of their disease - only 1 comes back to serve. 1 out of 10 - about 10%?
The second thing I saw here was the one who came back was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were the worst of sinners in the eyes of the Jews. The Jewish view was that they were an adulterated blood line, having intermarried with other cultures after their captivity they became a mongrel race who could not claim the blessings of Israel - but who tried to do so anyways. To a Jew, a Samaritan was worse than a Gentile, because they were not only lost, but they were also blasphemous.
When I look around our church I see some Samaritans. I see some people who would have been, and perhaps still are, looked down upon, and you know where I see most of them? Serving the church! I can think of one person in particular that almost immediately after receiving the healing of Christ - salvation - they became active in the church - first through bible study - and then through service.
But my quiet time isn't about other people - it is about me.
I need to be part of the 10% who serve - even if the other 90% never serve - because it isn't about that other 90% - it is about me and Jesus. That man didn't come back to thank Jesus just so he could show up the other 9 guys. He didn't look around to see who else showed up, he didn't compare himself to some standard of service, He just fell down ready to serve. It didn't matter to him what the other 9 had or hadn't done - it only mattered that Christ had healed him and that he could now serve Christ. That is the attitude I need to have.
Then I think
"I wonder what churches would look like if everyone had the attitude that since their service was about them and God - and not anyone else in the world - they would do it to the best of their ability, and even if no one else stood with them." - As I re-read that I realized how easy it is to be sucked into a comparison culture.
As "spiritual" as that statement might sound it is like a filthy rag before Christ! I am reminded that I am not even able to think the right thoughts without His help, as I hear the Holy Spirit say - try again
"I wonder what my church would look like if I served to the best of my ability no matter what anyone else did."
- that's more like it
Amanda
11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”
I usually don't get online before my quiet time, today was an exception and now I think I see why. I was reading on line today about churches, many of them seemed to be struggling to find answers to the same problems.
One man, who said he was a pastor, stated that about 10% of his congregation participates in a ministry at church - are willing to follow the leadership and serve where ever they are needed. The other 90% are there to be served. Then I read this passage.
As you may know I am reading the book of Luke right now - this was just the next thing in line in the book of Luke - I didn't pick it.
Sounds to me like there is nothing new under the sun. Jesus heals 10 men - all 10 are cured of their disease - only 1 comes back to serve. 1 out of 10 - about 10%?
The second thing I saw here was the one who came back was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were the worst of sinners in the eyes of the Jews. The Jewish view was that they were an adulterated blood line, having intermarried with other cultures after their captivity they became a mongrel race who could not claim the blessings of Israel - but who tried to do so anyways. To a Jew, a Samaritan was worse than a Gentile, because they were not only lost, but they were also blasphemous.
When I look around our church I see some Samaritans. I see some people who would have been, and perhaps still are, looked down upon, and you know where I see most of them? Serving the church! I can think of one person in particular that almost immediately after receiving the healing of Christ - salvation - they became active in the church - first through bible study - and then through service.
But my quiet time isn't about other people - it is about me.
I need to be part of the 10% who serve - even if the other 90% never serve - because it isn't about that other 90% - it is about me and Jesus. That man didn't come back to thank Jesus just so he could show up the other 9 guys. He didn't look around to see who else showed up, he didn't compare himself to some standard of service, He just fell down ready to serve. It didn't matter to him what the other 9 had or hadn't done - it only mattered that Christ had healed him and that he could now serve Christ. That is the attitude I need to have.
Then I think
"I wonder what churches would look like if everyone had the attitude that since their service was about them and God - and not anyone else in the world - they would do it to the best of their ability, and even if no one else stood with them." - As I re-read that I realized how easy it is to be sucked into a comparison culture.
As "spiritual" as that statement might sound it is like a filthy rag before Christ! I am reminded that I am not even able to think the right thoughts without His help, as I hear the Holy Spirit say - try again
"I wonder what my church would look like if I served to the best of my ability no matter what anyone else did."
- that's more like it
Amanda
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