The tough call of faith

Doctor opts for mission over wealth

by Carmen Aguinaco

Faithfulness to God’s call doesn’t always bring material rewards. In fact, sometimes it might even bring pain and sacrifice, which is not to say that, paradoxically, it doesn’t give happiness. At least that is what Dr. Kathleen Henry experienced when she moved from her comfortable home in the Midwest to live among the poor and homeless in Los Angeles.

She could be working in a private clinic, in a much more lucrative position. Why, then, do this? “People of faith integrate faith and their profession. That is what I thought I needed to do. I felt this was the natural thing to do.”

Dr. Henry found that integration through her work at the Oscar Romero Clinic in Los Angeles. The clinic works in collaboration with area organizations and parishes to provide health care for the homeless, immigrants, and uninsured people.

“I need to build relationships,” says Dr. Henry. “I walk around the neighborhood and invite people, particularly the homeless, to come to the clinic. I need to build relationships because many people cannot trust the system. They are afraid. They need direct contact. It is my passion. I always wanted to work with the poor, the underserved. I want to tell them that they do belong to the Body of Christ, that they are the beloved of God. Then, as part of my interview, I would ask them if they think it is God’s will that they be in this situation. They normally say no. So I ask them what steps they could take to get out of these conditions.”

For a young woman who loves relating to people, the road has not been easy. “This has been hard for me in my relationships,” she says. “There is a lot of misunderstanding because it is hard for most people to understand my choices. They tell me that I am wasting my years of education and a lot of money. I could be in a much better paying job. I could be having a relationship with a young man, but they get scared by my work and leave. “This is where God has called me to be. I wouldn’t be faithful to who I am if I didn’t do it. It is hard not to be in a relationship. I would have loved to create a family and to have a husband. But I cannot sacrifice my integrity and my faithfulness to my call. I wouldn’t be myself.”