Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Religion

Serving, healing with Christ's love

On Tuesday evenings, volunteers at Healing Hands Health Center provide patients with medical care, a gentle touch and prayer for free.

By EBONY WINDOM
Published February 19, 2005

HUDSON - At this clinic's waiting area, people don't just linger about in silence.

They hang out, chat and even pray.

Sometimes there's a two-hour wait to see a doctor.

But most patients don't mind. Time seems to fly by.

At this free medical clinic, spiritual and physical healing goes hand-in-hand. Thus the name Healing Hands Health Center.

Inside, 16 hands are credited with helping to make this medical ministry a success. There's a team of eight volunteers: seven nurses and Dr. Ritchie Plummer.

The clinic's two-year anniversary will be in April. That's a big deal for a ministry that started out with just a filing cabinet in a tiny church classroom.

For some, Healing Hands is sort of a last resort. Most patients are working-class people who lack health insurance or can't afford medicine.

For those living check to check, getting sick can be an expense they can't afford. A doctor's office visit can cost upwards of $120, says Lynne Bolduc, who started and runs Healing Hands.

That's where Healing Hands can help.

For now, the family practice is open only on Tuesday evenings. It's a no-cost, walk-in clinic where patients sign in, grab a seat and wait.

No one is turned away.

At Healing Hands, they dole out a good dose of TLC without looking down their noses at folks who walk through the clinic's doors for care. And patients are more than just a name on a list, says Bolduc, a 52-year-old nurse practitioner.

"We're not a cold, government agency," she said. "We put away any worldly attitudes and just love people with the love of Christ. . . . Just to have (a nurse) touch them on the arm and say, "Are you doing okay?' means so much to them."

Prayer is also vital to this ministry. Every week, before they treat anyone, the staff pauses for prayer. Patients, too, bow their heads in quiet reflection as they wait to see a doctor. At the end of their visit, Bolduc's husband - known as Pastor Chuck - explains salvation to them. At their request, he anoints and lays hands on patients. And each one walks out with a thick packet complete with their own Bible and a pamphlet.

Sometimes, the Bolducs even invite them to worship where they do: at Calvary Chapel Worship Center.

"We've led a lot of people to the Lord who've never been to church before," said Lynne Bolduc, who lives in Hudson. "(The clinic) is a life-changing experience for them."

Common ailments attended to at the clinic include hypertension and diabetes. Sometimes people bring their children to get physical exams for school or treatment for illnesses ranging from colds to chicken pox. But the clinic sets out to minister to issues beneath the skin's surface, too.

"I believe that everybody (needs) not only physical help but emotional and spiritual help," Bolduc said.

The clinic is open only for a four-hour block Tuesday evenings, but it all runs smoothly.

The process is simple. Patients get checked-in by a nurse. Then a doctor spends a few minutes listening to and assessing their needs. If necessary, Dr. Plummer hands out medicine.

All free of charge.

Sometimes, patients drop a few dollars in the donation jar on the way out.

So how does this clinic stay afloat?

"God just brings in the funds, and we don't worry too much," said Bolduc.

In December, the clinic moved from a classroom at Calvary Chapel Worship Center in New Port Richey and into a 590-square-foot office on U.S. 19 in Hudson. The building's owner, John Short, offered up a free room and agreed to pay utilities.

Although the clinic got its start at Calvary Chapel, it's not funded by the church. The program relies largely on private donations.

Some companies give money, and people just send checks. When one woman received a small windfall from an insurance settlement, she mailed Bolduc $1,000. A United Methodist church plans to donate an exam table soon.

Even the medicines are donated. Local doctors and hospitals send over surplus drug samples.

Bolduc and the other volunteers are committed to the Healing Hands Health Center. Some of them spend hours there after a full shift at the hospital. Dr. Plummer works as a family doctor at Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center. Kim Roth also serves as a nurse at the Pasco County Department of Health. David Kennedy is a retired firefighter who works as a Healing Hands volunteer.

Right now, the clinic is trying to recruit more volunteer doctors, nurse practitioners and clergy, in hopes of opening the clinic several times a week. Bolduc herself was doing double duty as a full-time geriatric nurse practitioner and director of Healing Hands. That was before a grim medical diagnosis forced her to take time off. Last fall, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Now Bolduc is on disability and pours all of her energy into Healing Hands. She says God called her to start this ministry years ago. After years of working as an emergency room nurse, Bolduc says she can understand the plight of folks who need medical care but can't afford it. Bolduc's battle is a test of her faith, she says. She's on chemotherapy and tries to limit her chance of getting infected by tending to patients who aren't too sick. But she doesn't sit around and complain about her health. In fact, she tries to avoid talking about the cancer.

"My motivation comes from a Bible verse: "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me,' " she said.

"When God puts something on your heart, it's a passion. (Healing Hands) is my mission field. . . . I focus on what I can do with my life while I'm alive. Everyday, I wake up and say, "Thank you, God. What can I do today? Who can I help?' "

Healing Hands Health Center is open from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesdays at a new location: 13825 U.S. 19, Suite 205 in Hudson. Sign-in is from 5-6 p.m. For information, call Lynne Bolduc at (727) 389-6166.

[Last modified February 19, 2005, 00:57:17]