For anyone who meets Beverly, her passion for Shepherd's Hope is contagious and, indeed, it was this Sunday. It was a balmy October afternoon and the food was delicious. Volunteers from Tazkiah Shepherd's Hope Health Center had gathered for their annual picnic. Nurse Practitioner Beverly Wicks was there. So was Diane Sawyer from the Central Office. Neither personally knew the other, but they found themselves seated at the same picnic table.
Beverly spoke of attending Faith Assembly of God in Orlando, although she was a volunteer in Ocoee at Tazkiah Shepherd's Hope Health Center. She spoke of her dream, shared by her faith community, of having a medical clinic at their own church some day. Diane was new to Orlando and a member of Congregation of Reform Judaism and was unfamiliar with Beverly's church or its location. But she did know about an emerging need for relocating one of the existing Shepherd's Hope health center locations.
Within minutes, the two women were talking non-stop about Faith Assembly of God's dream and Shepherd's Hope need. Successfully relocating a medical clinic, its volunteer staff, equipment and supplies, however, might not be simple. Dreams, though, can have a way of taking hold!
The next week Beverly approached Robb Hawkes, pastor at Faith Assembly of God. Soon Pastor Robb began designing, formulating and bringing the dream to life. Creative and generous, Pastor Robb made magic happen.
Months after Beverly's casual picnic conversation, she and Faith Assembly welcomed the Dr. Diebel, Jr. Memorial Shepherd's Hope Health Center volunteers to their new facility.
"I can't even tell you how happy I am," exclaimed Beverly on the telephone this week. We share her joy.
Beverly Wicks..."You are Shepherd's Hope!"
