02 Jul The Mission in Our Backyard

Now perhaps more than ever, the call to help those who cannot afford healthcare here in the United States is one of our biggest mission fields. The last few years have presented increased need for people across the US—from all age and financial brackets—especially due to the economic roller coaster created by the pandemic and steep inflation.

In the three years since the pandemic began, our US-focused partner base has grown to 42% of all new accounts, compared to 10% in the same window of time prior to the pandemic.

With the USA fund, Blessings International supports charitable clinics, pharmacies, and pregnancy centers. As such, your neighbor with diabetes or hypertension continues to receive medications when insurance isn’t an option, families find support, and women choose life over abortion.

As you will see by the following stories, partner clinics here in the United States are making notable impact on lives of all backgrounds and ages, passing aid from Blessings International’s US outreach directly to patients.

Cristina

Cristina found herself in a desperate place when her husband changed jobs and they lost their insurance. She was fighting colon cancer and was unable to afford colonoscopies and treatment. A friend told her about Good Samaritan Health Services and they provided the colonoscopies and medication.

Cristina is now cancer free, but navigating diabetes. Allergic to Metformin, she has to take a more expensive antihyperglycemic, which the clinic provides every three months for free.

“In this time, everything is so expensive, like groceries. They give me the medicine. I don’t have words to say thank you.” – Cristina, from Tulsa, OK

Carolina

Not only has Carolina received physical care through a US clinic, but she’s received new life, thanks to a man at the clinic who gave her a Gospel track.

Several years ago, Carolina was going through an intense situation. Her son was in jail, and she was struggling with the impact of that. She was sad, stressed, and experiencing high blood pressure.

At 62 years of age, she’d never taken any medicine, but now her body was sending her messages that she needed help. She came into the clinic needing a doctor to look at her heart, and because of it, she now knows the Great Physician who heals the whole person. She is now someone who can’t stop smiling and looks for ways to serve others and tell them about the clinic.

“A merry heart makes good medicine!” – Carolina, originally from Mexico

Melissa

After working fifteen years at a corporate job, newly-wed Melissa decided she needed to be a stay-at-home mom to her husband’s two young girls, whom she was in the process of adopting. Just as the adoption was being finalized, the 36-year-old suspected she was pregnant. Having a history of endometriosis, Melissa needed a definitive confirmation, more than a home kit’s double lines. But with no insurance, she was turned away by the hospital for not being able to afford cash payment.

Seeing Melissa leaving the hospital in tears, a nurse stopped her. When she understood the situation, she recommended the Arkansas Pregnancy Resource Center in Little Rock.

Melissa’s experience at the resource center was all that her visit to the hospital wasn’t. “Everything was hopeful and reassuring,” Melissa said. Not only did she receive a confirmation, but she also received free prenatal vitamins and, over ensuing visits, all the information and resources she would need as a first-time mom on a single income, including diapers and wipes. Her daughter is now three months old, a joyful addition to their family.

“They [the Arkansas Pregnancy Resource Center] are a worthwhile organization to support! Because [of] the vitamins and everything, I got a healthy baby!” – Melissa, from Arkansas

Ray

Carlos Irula, SVDP Pharmacist-in-Charge

Ray’s usual prescription had stopped being effective. Suddenly, he had a decision to make: either feed his family or pay $1,900 per month for a new medication. If he didn’t take the medicine, he wouldn’t be able to work. If he put his health first, his family wouldn’t be able to afford basic needs. It was an impossible decision.

Ray’s conundrum was solved with a simple referral to St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy in Dallas. He was qualified to have his prescription filled at no cost for an entire year, allowing him to safely manage his condition and provide for his family.

“It’s thanks to Blessings International that SVdP Pharmacy can fulfill our mission. Your support of our formulary made it possible for Ray to receive the health care he needed and deserves.” Carlos Irula, Pharmacist-in-Charge, St. Vincent de Paul Dallas

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Will you help us supply more US charitable clinics and pregnancy resource centers, and through them, people like Cristina, Carolina, Melissa, and Ray?

We are urgently asking for donations to the USA fund. Since the pandemic, we have more US-based partner organizations than ever before. What most people don’t realize is we use the USA fund for every order. While we are grateful for the increase of partners, the fund is straining to provide.

Will you please give to the mission in our proverbial backyard?

Right now, when you give to the USA fund, your gift will be doubled, up to $5,000!

“Where there is great need, there is a great responsibility—and opportunity. We’ve had to really step up our support of US-based clinics and health centers in recent years. We could be doing more for these hardworking clinics, but we can’t do it without a healthy USA fund.” Barry Ewy, PharmD, JD, MHA, Blessings International CEO