St. Andrews: A Clinic of Hope and Love

This weeks blog is about a journey to a very special place I visited this past week.
Just five miles north of the U.S./Mexico border and about an hour south of Tucson in Nogales, Arizona is a place that many call "the clinic of hope and love."

On the first Thursday of every month, St. Andrews Episcopal Church transforms into a bustling clinic with a host of volunteer doctors, nurses, and 250 support staff to service the needs of impoverished children from poor families in Mexico. These children are unable to get the medical services they need and many travel hours and even days with their parents or loved ones for this gift of hope. Whether they are recipients of prosthetics, braille machines, hearing aids, medications or simply a new pair of glasses the exchange of love and gratitude between the volunteer staff and the families is something to behold.



"They have so little and they give so much in return," said Board Member Barbara Blake, referring to the families that come seeking help. What they give in return is love and lots of it. Her eyes filled with tears as she told the story of one mother who traveled with her child by bus from deep in Mexico. The mother had no more money and no more food, except for one tortilla, which she kept the entire journey just so she could give it to the doctor who helped her child. These are the stories that can be heard at the clinic. Hundreds of children are helped each month, each with a story of their own. Stay tuned to the special report on St. Andrews Clinic that will be posted on Borderbeat in the coming weeks. You will find heartwarming stories by all the Borderbeat student journalists who attended the clinic.

I will be reporting on three patients. The first story will be about twin boys whose mother died in childbirth. One boy is legally blind and the other is visually impaired. Their remarkable story is one of courage and fortitude. I will also report on another blind child with an amazing story of joy and hope. Finally, I will be reporting on a 17 year old boy who will be undergoing surgery on his legs and feet, but will be fitted with braces for his legs in the meantime. His smile is priceless and his story inspiring.