Why SMI? Beverly Parrish likes the biblical principles

Member Spotlight: Beverly Parrish, The Transformed Family

Provision for health care has always been a challenge for Chris and Beverly Parrish, with Chris running his own construction companies and Beverly mentoring homeschool families.

The Parrishes signed up with a health care sharing ministry several years ago in an effort to navigate health care, but “did not have a good experience.”

They didn’t give up on the concept, though, and joined Samaritan in 2013.

Beverly says she loves it.

“There’s no middle person,” she points out. “You just write that check directly to the person that you’re supporting.”

She also appreciates Samaritan’s approach to dealing with sensitive Needs.

“One of my Needs was related to a feminine issue,” Beverly said. “When I called, I got a young man on the phone, and when I told him the diagnosis, he asked if I would prefer to talk to another woman about it. I said yes. You would never get that anywhere else. I appreciated that attention to personal modesty. It’s a bad enough time to share details with a stranger, but you sure don’t want to share it with a person of the opposite sex. So I appreciate all those little things that make it more pleasant.”

While acknowledging that Samaritan members “do have to work a little more” to compile and submit Need information and bills, Beverly said she feels like “I’m participating in something good.”

“I’m not funding things that I disagree with,” she said. “I’m participating in something that is in line with biblical principles, and that’s a rare thing we get to do.”