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Writing samples from Ryan Sanders. For more information about Ryan's freelance work, visit www.ichthuscreativeguild.com.Thursday, March 30, 2006
Christian Clinic Story - Star-Telegram
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
| February 27, 2000 Section: HOMETOWN STAR-NORTH Edition: ARLINGTON Page: 1 Ryan Sanders Star-Telegram Staff Writer |
| Last month, Dr. Jesus Ramirez reopened his Christian Community Clinic after a year of closure. For Patsy, who asked us not to publish her last name, it was a hard year. "That year he didn't have the clinic, I didn't go to any doctor and I had four acerbations happen that year," Patsy said. Two days a month, Ramirez treats patients for free. Patsy has Medicare that pays for 80 percent of her doctor fees, but she's single with no income other than a disability check, so even Medicare is not enough. "When you have MS, your doctor bills are really high," Patsy said plainly. "They pay 80 percent but you still have that 20 percent, and when you see a doctor that costs quite a bit and you have to go a lot. You're tapping into what little resources you have." Patsy, and other patients like her, are one of the reasons Ramirez offers his services for free. The other reason is more celestial. "We felt like the Lord was telling us to start a ministry here in Arlington," Ramirez remembered. "My wife and I were looking at going to the foreign mission field, but the Lord told us to stay here and dwell in the land and cultivate it." Ramirez's reference is to Psalm 37. His story started in 1989. "We weren't sure because this area already had clinics at John Peter Smith and Mission Arlington nearby," he said, remembering their decision to open the clinic the first time. "But we did a 50-block survey and what we were getting was a linguistics problem, a language barrier." So Ramirez and his wife, Laura Chavarria-Ramirez, opened the clinic. Once a week, Ramirez and Dr. Alex Hollub treated patients at no cost. One of those patients was 9-year-old Jimmy Bolt. "I had never been to any type of free anything," Jimmy's mother, Tracy, said. "There was just no way we could afford insurance at the time. You don't find many people that do things just to help people and not for their own gain. It's nice to see that." But after six years of free Thursdays, Ramirez said his staff, his family and even his building needed to recharge. "We have three volunteers and they needed a break. They had gone solid for six years straight," he said. While his volunteers took some time off, Ramirez had the building renovated. The clinic, at 314 N. Center St., was in dire need of some repair. Ramirez spent $40,000 of his own money on the renovation. The clinic reopened February 3. Hollub is no longer there, and Ramirez can only take free patients on the first and third Mondays of each month. There is new carpet, new paint, new equipment and new reminders of the clinic's mission. On the walls hang paintings with titles like The Prodigal and Peace, Be Still. They show biblical scenes and Ramirez's motivation. "My focus is to see what God wants me to do - to see the needy, to address their physical needs and hope for the opportunity to meet their spiritual needs," Ramirez said. "Every time we have clinic, I get to talk to someone about the Lord." In fact, Ramirez said his patients get spiritual healing almost as often as physical healing. Last year, one or two patients were converted every Thursday, he said. Already this month one patient has adopted the faith. Ramirez said he doesn't press patients about spiritual or personal matters. Usually, it's the other way around. "They'll be interested," he said. "They already know what we are. They want to know why we're doing this for free and that's a great opportunity to share the gospel." And the gospel, at Ramirez's clinic, is for everyone. "We've seen the Cadillacs and Mercedes roll up in the parking lot," he grinned. "We look at that as a divine appointment from God to talk to them. We don't turn anyone away." For the most part, though, Ramirez said his patients are genuinely in need. They're uninsured or underinsured or they have a circumstance that forces them to come to him. "Some of them need to be seen immediately and can't get treatment that fast from their regular doctor," Laura explained. "We had one patient with a kidney infection. If he didn't get treatment, the kidneys could have just shut down." Laura volunteers at the clinic on free Thursdays and brings along her four children - the oldest three of whom she home-schools. "This is good for them," she said. "I think school should be about real life and service to our community and what we're going to do when we're finished with school." Patsy's MS is in remission, she said. But she'll be going back to Ramirez for help with other things. "He doesn't help with my MS because he's a primary care physician, but he can help me as far as other needs, like keeping my blood pressure down," she said. "Even if I get a cold, that can send me out of remission and as long as he can help me keep those primary things going, he helps the chances of my staying in remission." But the price isn't the only reason Patsy will continue to see Ramirez. "He has a heart for people. And he is a good doctor," she said. F.Y.I. Christian Community Clinic 314 N. Center St. (817)861-4672 Open first and third Thursdays of the month from 8:30 a.m. until noon. PHOTO(S): Willis Knight |
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| Copyright 2000 Star-Telegram, Inc. |
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