A story from Mission Medical:

“Mission Medical Center does a very “soft” ask for a donation from our patients.  If they do not have the ability to give something, they will be seen by the doctor and treated with dignity and compassion.

A year or so ago, a patient who had been treated in the dental clinic, brought in a donation.  She brought in a bag of coins (pennies, nickels and a few dimes).  The coins were in a small Ziploc bag.  The Dental Manager insisted she keep the change so that she would be able to purchase bread, milk or another necessary item.  The patient insisted and would not take the bag back.  To this day, Mission Medical has the bag of coins worth $5.44.  It is our symbol of how much our services mean to the underserved in our community and the appreciation the people have for Mission Medical and the volunteers who provide the services.”

I can’t help but hear this story and be reminded by the the Widow’s Offering we read about in Scripture:

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”      

– Luke 21:1-4

These stories reveal to us that it’s not about size, but about how much of a sacrifice it is to give from a place of “I don’t have much”… whatever that may mean for each of us. It’s sometimes hard to understand Jesus and the way His kingdom works. He has a way of flipping things upside down.

What can you take away from this story? What might God be telling you? Where are you feeling like you have little to give and it may be meaningless, yet in the eyes of our Father, He uses it to create incredible impact?

I challenge you to pray over Mission Medical and their care for people who are uninsured. For the stories we don’t know or will never hear of, and the work of Next Step Ministries and the students involved in the projects here. Pray for continued relationship with Next Step and Mission Medical for years to come and that our partnership would truly be a blessing and encouragement to each other.