Volunteers are the life and spirit of the Bethesda health Clinic. We are grateful for our volunteers and their special contribution to this ministry.

Read a volunteer testimonial:

BETHESDA IS A GRACE WORK  

Bethesda is a grace work of God in a hurting world. It is the result of the Holy Spirit’s working in the hearts of many people, all to one purpose. That purpose is to provide quality medical care to those who make too much or are too young to be provided for by the government, but yet who do not make enough to be able to afford medical insurance out of their own earnings. It is an opportunity for each of us to work with God in His providence to His creation. We are on a mission with God.

Bethesda is a mission, just like going to a foreign country to preach the gospel. Its’ mission is to ease pain and suffering, to be a conduit for God’s grace and mercy. As volunteers at Bethesda, we are missionaries. And it requires commitment on our part, just as if we were going somewhere else to serve as missionaries. We each have been gifted with unique abilities, and He desires us to use those for His service. The work we do here is skilled work, and as with any skill, it takes time to develop, and it must be practiced to be retained. That means a regular commitment of time. You cannot retain a skill if you only perform it once in awhile. But even if you cannot come regularly, there are things that need doing just once in awhile, such as mass mail-outs. They require more time than skill, but they are very necessary. It is also important that if you commit to time at Bethesda, you remember it is an appointment with God. And keep that appointment. He is providing you with opportunities for service that you miss when you do not show up. And Bethesda depends on you to show up.

Our attitude as we work here is also important. We are here to demonstrate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. We may be the only godly influence in some patients’ lives. It is important to have the right attitude when dealing with them, and when dealing with each other.

As a grace work, Bethesda provides relatively free medical care—free when you compare the price here with what it is in “the real world.” And it is important to remember that we are not the police. There are going to be some who take advantage of the situation, but that is not our concern. We are to do the best we can to qualify people, and qualify as many as possible. If a few slip through the cracks, getting care here when they make more than they should to qualify, that is between them and God. When we come before God in the Judgment, He is not going to say, “You know, you really should not have let that person come to Bethesda.” He is going to say about our work here, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.”

We have been created to do good works. Bethesda is an opportunity to “do good works.” And it is a unique opportunity for service to God and our hurting world.

Rosemary Reynolds

Bethesda Volunteer

3/23/2005

 

© 2008 Bethesda Health Clinic