Our Lord comes to us in so many ways it is difficult to always recognize Him. Sure, it’s easy to recognize Him in the Gospel version of himself, curing the lame, giving sight to the blind, dying for our salvation.  It’s sometimes more difficult to recognize Him in the version He presents to us in our everyday lives: in the neighbor who mows his lawn too early, in the spouse who leaves clothes on the floor, in the teenagers at the local skate park.  It is sometimes even more challenging – but is our calling as Christians – to recognize Him in the patients we serve every day here at North Coast Health Ministry.

Some may see an overweight diabetic whose blood sugar has not been under control in years.  We know better who this person really is.  And, it’s our job to help him get the medications he needs to manage his condition.

Some may see a woman who hasn’t had a mammogram in years and who can’t afford her annual gynecological exam.  We know better.  And, it’s our duty to help her get the preventive care she needs.

Some may see a person who has lost his home, lost his job and is struggling with addiction.  We know better.  And it’s our calling to help him.

As a supporter of North Coast Health Ministry, YOU have met the challenge of recognizing our Creator in the least among us.  Without your support, we could not have served the record number of our neighbors in need who came to us for care in 2009.   While our elected leaders in Washington talk about health care, YOU, through your support, have acted to serve the people in our community who need help, right here, right now.

Most of our patients have chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension or heart disease.  All of our patients are uninsured and fall below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.  All are ineligible for public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.  They often work in service-sector jobs or for small businesses that are finding it increasingly difficult to provide affordable insurance to their workers.  Sixty-five percent of our patients earn $15,000 or less per year.  But these statistics aside, most important by far, to borrow the words of Mother Teresa, is that “each one of them is Jesus in disguise.”