The clinic at 7405 Almeda serves the Astrodome area, the Texas Medical Center and the Third Ward. It was launched in July 1998 and is part of the Heartbeat Ministries Houston Community Center's concept to provide indigent people with a system of medical and spiritual help in combination with free food and clothes. People can come to the clinic for a medical check-up and get free food, clothing and spiritual counseling through the church, she says. Dr. Carlos Herrera, assistant professor of internal medicine, is a frequent volunteer at the clinic.
People have more confidence in the doctor if the service is provided through the church.
Doctors need to provide medical advances to the whole community, Dr. Herrera says. But in order to make people use the medical system, we first have to give them a job, food and the freedom from violence. People come to the community center and when they learn that there is a doctor available, they are more open to come and see the doctor and get a check-up, Dr. Rahman says. Here, they don't have to submit any paperwork and don't have to wait long hours. We are very thankful to the doctors and students from UT-Houston for helping us to accomplish our mission of giving people hope and self esteem.