Author: Dr. Michael Johnson

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is home to six major health science research centers, several teaching universities, including five medical schools three schools of pharmacy, and several other healthcare disciplines, including nursing, physicians assistants and podiatry. Among the 10 most populous U.S. cities, Philadelphia has the highest unemployment and poverty rates. This factors serves as barrier to equitable health care in Philadelphia.

Those without healthcare access or limited financial resources use area emergency rooms as primary care facilities. This serves to further increase the cost and diminish the quality of healthcare.

Miriam Medical Clinics (MMC) was started in Philadelphia to address these needs by providing holistic, comprehensive and compassionate healthcare. Because of our central location in Philadelphia near the major health facilities Miriam will also serve as a teaching site for the various medical training institutions.

As of December 2012, Miriam Medical Clinics (MMC) was incorporated with the objective to provide health care to the underserved and many who may feel ‘undeserving’ within the Philadelphia Metropolitan area. Historically, MMC began as a vision of Dr. Cornelius Pitts, Patricia Imms, Dr.’s. Michael Johnson and Sandra Johnson. These principal parties have sought to serve the poor of Philadelphia metropolitan area based upon the passion of their faith and the desire to have a practical impact as an outgrowth of that passion.

Medical care is one practical, objectively measurable impact. To date, they have accomplished the recruitment of several volunteers from a variety of medical and paramedical professions. These volunteers have provided services principally in homeless shelters, gaining the exposure necessary to understand a very under-served population. MMC is currently underwritten by personal donations from the principals, and monetary gifts from World Gospel Mission Inc. of Marion Indiana.

MMC will provide services to its clients and patients without regard to any religious, social stratification or man-made classification, in accordance with Christ’s expectations that we are sent to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:16).

MMC will make no compromise of its Christian doctrine in order to obtain funding or other resources as this will ultimately erode not only the ‘who’ we are but ultimately the ‘what’ we do and ‘why’ we do it.

• We are ambassadors for Christ
• We minister in His name with His love
• We do it to glorify the Father through the Son

Learn more about Miriam Medical Clinics

We have been in prison from the middle of last year and even as the New Year has begun. To tell you the truth, we have been in and out of prison and we plan to buy guns. Yes indeed, these are peculiarly new things.

What a blessing to go to prison and then, to leave again. Our visits to the prisons have allowed us and the men of our home church Tasker Street Missionary Baptist Church in Philadelphia, to visit several men in Graterford Prison. It is a high security prison and the most of the men we visited have had not a single visitor for over 20-25 years. We plan to keep at it and we plan to buy guns! Lots of guns, if you can believe that!

This zeal for guns has come from our very joyous and informative symposium with 100 plus attendees on Prison Re-entry at our home church, on October 27, 2012. The symposium included a panel of Church, Christian charities, government and other civic minded organizations. The day was filled with people who wanted to know how they could better know and serve those who were incarcerated and their families. Our prison visits are becoming a habit, and we will soon involve the church youth group and women of the church. Again our plan is to buy guns! We want to buy guns and get them off the streets of Philadelphia. We have established a specific account for this purpose. Please give to the Out Of Nazareth Ministry so we can help those behind the walls and their families. We will raise at least $50,000 with your help to buy guns and trade them in for food and other purchase vouchers.

Time flies when you are having fun! My family and friends gave me an incredibly rich experience with a surprise 60th Birthday Party this past December. Alicia our youngest granddaughter, looks on to see if I can blow out these candles myself.

President David Black; Arthur Hill Interim Chair Board of Trustees, Dr. Christopher Hall, Chancellor Eastern University, Dean Palmer Theological Seminary

As of 2012, we have decided to do something in our spare time. We graduated with honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree, Honoris Causa from Eastern University. We also gave the commencement speech which served as an opportunity to share what God has been doing in our lives in family and ministry.