HomeAbroad: Heal the sick....

HomeAbroad: Heal the sick....: Somewhere in the sprawling county of Montgomery is a clinic seated like an oasis in the desert. Devoid of any aesthetic encumberances,it see...

Heal the sick....

Somewhere in the sprawling county of Montgomery is a clinic seated like an oasis in the desert. Devoid of any aesthetic encumberances,it seems purposely designed for its set objectives of providing succor for the sick. Well, that was where I headed when this perennial headache that followed me from Nigeria was serious about relocating with me.

Health system delivery is a bit complicated in the United States and trying to explain it here will most certainly bore you and leave me exhausted. Suffice to say that the law stipilates that you cannot walk in to any pharmacy shop to buy medicines without prescription, though illicit drugs are readilly available in the alleys! That however is another story for another day.

Anyway, the fact that I got there after they have closed - remember it is a community clinic, did not deter them from seeing me. They took their time time in attending to me, even without a health insurance and a proof of employment status! Tests and evaluation that will have 'naturally' took forever back home were done and analyzed in minutes. I left with a smile on my face, a heart full of gratitude and a mind full of burden. Just like you, this level of free medical benevolence got me curious and below is my findings.

Muslim Community Center medical clinic  in Montgomery county is the brainchild of  Dr Asif Qadri-who incidentally treated me, is an affable but brilliant cardiologist and specialist of internal medicine of India descent who has purposed in his heart to devote his time and talent in healing humanity using his faith as a Moslem for the cause. The clinic shared the same ground with the central mosque in the neighborhood. Assisting him were a competent staff of less than twenty liberal minded professionals who allow their deeds to proclaim their faith.

The clinic is funded by occasional grant from the government and largely by Muslims through the payment of zakat.In the Sharia, the word Zakat refers to the determined share of wealth prescribed by Allah to be distributed among the deserving categories of those entitled to receive it. Muslims who own wealth over a certain amount (called Nisab) are required to donate a portion of this wealth (a minimum of 2.5%) to those in need.

These Muslim faithfuls in conjunction with Dr. Asif Qadri and his team has by His grace offered medical assistance to teeming immigrants irrespective of their faith in the last thirteen years of the clinic humble existence.

Suddenly,the parable of the good Samaritan and the principle behind tithes without offerings to the needy exposed the gospel we all proclaimed with our mouth and not our deeds.

Hilarious Triumph

Before the 2015 gubernatorial elections in Lagos, Jimmy Agbaje was more of a seasoned person and politician than the present Lagos State governor.To clear the air on their capabilities as prospective chief executives, debates were organised for them and on each occasion Ambode was taking to the cleaners by the more erudite Agbaje.

Running on the platform of a 'wrong party' (PDP) was always going to be an excess baggage that Agbaje couldn't pay for by his brilliance alone, but Lagosians were gracious enough to allow him through by looking the other way. The problem however started for Agbaje when the tribal sentiment about Lagos being a no man's land kite was flown. The people, goaded by the king of Lagos reacted and without notice buried Jimmy Agbaje and his intelligence in a landslide loss of the gubernatorial election. The rest however is not history as it resonated here some 24 hours in the presidential election.

Let's face it, Donald Trump' resume will ideally not qualify him for any decent mid level job in an insurance company,talkless of a commander in chief of the greatest army on planet earth. So we thought. For a guy that publicly admitted that he cheated on his tax returns, a fellow that sees and treats women like furniture item and insulted the daylight out of the media,to have come this far can only mean one thing, movement.

This movement started some eight years ago when Obama became the first black man to occupy the oval office. His second term in office sent the realization that America was quickly transiting from a land of dreams and opportunities to a no man's land. They regrouped and the movement was born but they needed an outsider, a non politician and a brash man that is not necessarily gentle to personify and lead the movement. So, without formal interview, along came Donald Trump with all his shortcomings for a job that is perfect fit for him.

Contrary to general but wrong public perceptions, the real America was never hospitable until after the confederate war and it become a conglomerate of diversities of people from different walk of life. It however appeared that the Pharaoh that knew Joseph is dead and the new Ramsey in town has not fully come to terms with the responsibilities of the old office and the new three dimensional movement.

As for the undocumented immigrants, the abused Latinos, the threathened Muslims and the apprehensive Africans, they can take their solace in the enshrined Amercan institutions that cannot be manipulated by any impudent individual,no matter how powerful. In the meantime, the  President-elect may want to start delivering on his suicidal campaign promises, while I pack my things!