Reform what?

The US doctor and nurses were cursing the inadequacies of the Jamaican ambulance as I was telling my wife goodbye outside the hospital. Fragile to the bone, we were thankful to profoundly feel providence and to finally have a plan for our daughter. It was unnerving to say goodbye, having her leave the island without us, but we were growing in confidence that this was the best plan. But what put us in this situation, why were we at this point? Our teammates, Chad and Pam, were with me and we watched the ambulance lights disappear down Caledonia road as we stood out in front of Mandeville Regional Hospital. I made a comment to Chad about the curses of privatized health care. We had just experienced the worst of privatized health care as we were denied care for our critical daughter from at least 5 US hospitals based on the fact that we had "inadequate insurance," and not enough money to pay up front. It was an unconscionable predicament as we were forced to choose between the health of our daughter and our willingness to try to instantly raise ridiculous sums of money. As I vented there in front of the hospital, Chad pointed back to the hospital and quickly reminded me, "but this is the other side of the story." I was so scarred by the situation of being denied care by a private system in the US that I had forgot that the reason I needed to go to the states was the socialized health care in Jamaica. In that moment, I realized that I was stuck in the middle of the worst of both sides of the health care debate. We had experienced fully subsidized care at Mandeville Regional Hospital and it was inadequate. And, I had been denied care for financial reasons by several US hospitals, which is inadequate. I have been watching the health care reform debate for the past few weeks maybe a little closer than I would have in the past as we remain stuck in the middle of the debate. Just this week, we were denied insurance coverage for Daisha until after a few tests she needs next week. So, part of me screams seeing that health care is driven by money while the other part of me cries because I know this is the only way that we humans can make it work. Health care should not be driven by money. But, humans need a motivator to do good things and that motivator is money. What a ridiculous debate and difficult situation! I am not pushing an agenda, I am only stating that I understand the issue a little better than I did before Daisha. I am from the demographic that "poo-poos" the debate because we are typically employed and insured with better than average coverage. But, I do see the other side of the debate a little clearer and understand the pain of a system controlled by socio-economic reasons. And, I understand a little better the tragedy of denying the reality our sinful natures by pretending that we do not need money as a motivator to continue to provide great health care. That is what this is, it is a indictment on our condition as humans. We are sinful by nature and when we create systems, they always turn our messy. What do we expect? But, it was in the name of Christ that we did receive our help. It was the Sisters in the Order of Saint Francis who eventually facilitated care for our daughter. They live by the creed that "God has called us to a close union with Him. Yes, it was He who has drawn us deep into the pure and loving heart of our Crucified Savior so that we may be inflamed by His love and become one with Him if we cultivate an intimate relationship with Him through a deep and sincere life of prayer and the practice of sacrifice." As we listen to the debate rage on, may we remember all the talk is an indictment of our sinful natures and may we also be called to do our part of the sacrifice in being the body of Christ as a part of the solution in someones life. Lord, Grant us Grace to reform our hearts!