Spectrum 2001
Kapiolani Community College

The Aloha Medical Mission Health Care for the Homeless
By: Cynthia Tobar

Art By: Sun McGibney
Untitled; Watercolor

Anthropology 200
Hasager
During this semester I was able to perform in the Service-Learning Program at KCC. It was a great opportunity to get involved in the community and give something back. It was also a time of growth and learning about people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. During the semester, I was able to volunteer at the Aloha Medical Mission Clinic. It is an after hours clinic which primarily serves the homeless community and families with low income. It is located adjacent to a family homeless shelter, which is why a lot of the patients of the clinic are children. The staff at the clinic is primarily made up of volunteers. I was very surprised to see that so many people were willing to volunteer their free time to run this facility.

This clinic provides the homeless community with valuable health care that would not be accessible to them otherwise. The clinic plays an important role in helping new immigrant families entering into the United States for the first time. Many of these families have feelings of uncertainty and anxiety because they are entering a "New World" and a different cultural setting. Many new immigrants experience culture shock and need help adapting to their new surroundings. The clinic helps to provide these families and individuals with referrals to seek help in adapting to a new environment. The clinic provides immunizations and health clearances to help children with school enrollment. Some of the infants brought into the clinic were receiving their first and most important immunizations that were not available to them in their home country. The clinic plays a critical part in protecting children by providing free immunizations vital to their wellbeing.

By providing free medical services to those in need, the Aloha Medical Mission Clinic helps families stay healthy and get back on their feet. Many of the adults who are seen at the clinic have no other form of getting health care due to lack of money and insurance. By providing free healthcare, the clinic helps adults stay healthy allowing them to be able to work and provide for their family. Many of the families, which are seen in the clinic, are in a difficult place in their lives. They have lost everything and are having to stay at the homeless shelter while they try to get their lives together. The circumstances in which these individuals face, place a tremendous amount of physical and psychological stress on them. Being able to seek medical assistance ensures that they are able to maintain good health despite all of the stressors in their lives.

During the time I spent at the clinic, I thought a lot about what I was contributing by volunteering. The reason I first decided to volunteer was because of a requirement in one of my classes. Things changed as time went on. I first realized that I was providing a valuable service to the community after a meeting with a man named Bob. He was about my father's age and worked in construction for many years. He was once a very successful business owner and had a good life. When things changed in the construction industry, his life changed too. He lost his job and suddenly became very ill. As a result of his ordeal he is now living out of his car and has nothing. Talking to Bob I realized how no one really knows what life has in store for us. Bob felt embarrassed and ashamed to be at the clinic and apologized over and over. We spoke about his family, his work, and the things he once cherished. After sitting down and talking with him, I saw a proud and hard working man behind the dirty clothes and rough exterior. I felt bad that I misjudged him without knowing him because of the stereotype I had about homeless people. I envisioned a drunk and lazy person. I even feel bad saying that because I know how wrong it is. We are all ethnocentric to some extent and I realized that because of the life I have lived I am more ethnocentric then I thought. Without knowing it I was putting my cultural standards and moral values above Bobs own beliefs. Come to realize we had many of the same values, he just had a streak of bad luck. I believe the time I spent talking to Bob was very valuable. He needed to reach out to someone who could hear what he was saying. He wanted a sympathetic ear and reassurance that he was not a bad man and that things would get better. Sure enough Bob went home that night with a smile on his face and a very positive outlook on life. I saw him a week later, he told me he felt a lot better and had started a new job. When I stop and think about volunteering at the clinic, I think about providing healthcare to those in need and giving them the emotional and psychological support they are looking for.

Many of the people who come into the clinic are homeless and have lost hope for things to get better. Having someone pat you on the back and offer to help can make a very big difference in a person's life. I believe that by being there to help someone when they are not feeling well can bring about a big change in a person. By providing healthcare as well as emotional support to those in need, we are giving these individuals a sense of hope. We are telling them that there are people out there that care and want to help them. We are also reassuring them that they are not alone in their time of need. There are some people who have been treated in the clinic and occasionally come back to say hello and just visit. The clinic provides a positive atmosphere where people know they can get help and maybe make a friend or two in the process.

Having the opportunity to make a difference in a person's life is a very rewarding feeling. During the time I have spent at the clinic, I have had to deal with a variety of different type of people. I have dealt with families who have lost everything and are trying to get back on their feet. I have dealt with mentally ill patients who cannot take care of themselves and end up on the street. I have seen entire families who find themselves on the street homeless because they are unable to adapt to a new culture and lifestyle. My experiences with such a vast variety of people have helped to change my views. I have forced myself to analyze the way I see people and how I judge them. I think I have become more understanding of people who are unlike myself and more understanding of what they go through.

I strongly believe that participating in service learning can lead to a very enriching experience. One can learn very valuable lessons about life that would not have been possible without participating in service learning. Service learning makes us more responsible citizens and members of our community. It is nice to receive but it is even better when you are able to give back. In the case of service learning you are giving back to your community and learning a lot of valuable lessons in the process.

Art By: Marie-Gabrielle Selarque
Ralph; Clay