Reflections by Marianna Gomez, Gateway Community Church service learning team member

I studied Policy Analysis in school, and fortune would so have it that I would spend the next three years as a policy analyst for Medicaid. I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience from my government job, but have always felt like there was something broken in the public health care delivery system.

We employ a top-down approach to public service: a legislator, who is elected to represent the people, creates a law that may get passed if other legislators agree it is in the best interest of the people. It gets filtered down the chain of command and then it comes to me. I try implement a “good in theory” policy, through several layers of bureaucracy, for people I never see face to face, and hope that it does some good.

But what is truly broken about this approach is that it wouldn’t even be necessary if we were all doing what Christ has called us to do - love your neighbor as your self (Mark 12:30-31). We need public safety nets because we are not collectively meeting the needs in our communities.

I saw the other side of the coin in the DR. I worked along side Christ-followers fulfilling the mission of the church to be the salt and the light of the world. They are meeting the needs in their communities from within the communities themselves, and walking in faith that God will provide every step of the way. The churches are even operating the same kinds of programs run by my office, back home in the states.

It took just one week for me to tangibly realize what had been lurking in my heart for all these years: the community-based, bottom-up approach, spurred by the love of God, and accomplished through faith is the most effective public service!

This truth that God revealed to me is far more valuable than anything else I’ve learned in the three years I spent working for the government. I’ll carry this experience close to my heart as I venture further out onto the path God has lead me.

That path is still public service, but cast in a new light. This fall I will begin a Master’s program in global health. I will shift my focus to operating public health programs in other countries and working with communities at the grassroots level to produce positive changes.

DCC has provided me with a glimpse of what that looks like in God’s kingdom. I am overwhelmed with joy as I embark on this beautiful adventure with my Creator!