On Saturday morning we woke up to Jesse being violently ill. He was visiting from Australia, and while it was beautiful having him visit, he was in a terrible condition. Kate called our new GP and he said he could come in and see him straight away. A few scans later and Jesse was scheduled for an emergency appendectomy. We were incredibly thankful for such quick medical care and that it hadn’t burst.
Jesse had secured travel insurance before he left so we were able to access some great care in a modern private hospital. We are really aware that many of the people we minister to don’t have this option. So, we proceeded with thankfulness and a soberness around the privileged opportunity we had.
The hospital insisted on a deposit before they proceed. It was with hesitation that we did this. Annie had had a visit to a different hospital in March and it had taken 90 days to get our $4200 back after insurance settles the invoice. It had tied up most of our credit card balance for months. So, we were super concerned but in the end, they wouldn’t move forward with treatment until that happened.
On Sunday afternoon we discussed with the hospital the insurance details and how the costs would be covered. It felt like things would happen promptly and everything would be finalised and ready for discharge on Monday morning. The operation was a success and Jesse was greatly improved and healing well.
Monday morning rolled around and it became clearer that things were not going smoothly from an administrative perspective. The Hospital and Travel Insurance, had through a comedy of errors, not made contact. “They are not awake”. “They had the wrong email”. “We can’t call internationally” “they won’t send an itemised bill” etc etc. It was starting to look like a real blame game.
And all the while it became clear that we were not free to leave the hospital until it was sorted. At this point we started to get friends, family and supporters activated to pray for us.
When the total invoice was finally forwarded, the insurance company got in contact with me and were in shock. They couldn’t believe that an appendectomy and 2 nights could cost 1.2 million pesos. After talking to some locals who had had the same procedure, under the same conditions and it cost 10x less we knew that we were not just dealing with admin difficulty but fraud and extortion. We are used to being charged a difference price for most things as white tourists but this was something else.
And this is the point of internal conflict for me. What does it look like to be a Christian, on mission, a guest in a beautiful country with wonderful people and respond in the way that Jesus would have me do. Its so hard. We don’t want to rage. And we don’t want to remain silent. But we must do something.
All my life, being a Christian was equated with being nice and not stirring trouble. Being silent when powerful people do the wrong thing, in the name of honour or unity. But that is how evil grows. So we kept pressuring but it was clear from the lurking security guard and with withheld deposit that we were being held until the invoice was committed to by the insurance group.
So, I slept on the floor for the third night next to Jesse, while people prayed and Kate got in contact with locals and legal advice.
So this morning, with as much grace and composure as I could (remembering to not sin in my anger) I committed myself to some action and truth telling. I demanded to see the CEO and informed the hospital that I was contacting the police. I informed them that what they were doing was wrong and greedy. Well, that changed everything. So our deposit has given back in cash and we were told that the Guarantee of Payment had arrived. Our GP came and picked us up to take us home and was broken-hearted at our story.
So, my reflection is this, we need to stand up and speak out against injustice. Wherever we find it. For ourselves and for others as well. Even as a guest of a culture. Some of us who have been conditioned to be nice quiet Christians will find this so hard to do but it is so important.
We have just visited the police and will have an advocated meeting with the hospital by the Comision de Arbitraje Medico in the coming days. I’m hoping that at this meeting I will get to confront the CEO over the greed and mistreatment of the hospital. Please pray for me that I could do that in a way that is full of grace and truth telling.
I spoke with your wife the second day. You need to know you weren’t talking to the police. CAPTA is the Center of Attention and Protection to Tourists, a city office and not the police. The tourist police wear their logo in support of the office. Right now in Mazatlan, all hospitals are requiring foreigners to pay a deposit, you won’t be admitted without one. I am so sorry you were overcharged. That shouldn’t have happened. I. I hope Capta was able to get the price lowered. I would hope you let the public know what hospital this happened at.
Hi Matt and Kate, wow what a huge challenge in uncharted waters. You’ve had a brilliant opportunity to press in to find the balance of grace and truth – well done!! A good outcome in the end but ‘rending our hearts’ is never easy – what a process. We’re rejoicing that Jesse was with you when all of this happened and that his health is restored – Gods miracle of timing – everything else is His miracle of heart surgery. You and Kate are amazing and the heart stuff will happen no matter what country your in – so proud to see your delayed response, making it a wise response – truly, well done. 😘
Wow this is a crazy story. Good for you standing up to the bullies. I pray you stick to the facts so light/truth shines on this sitation.
The trials of being an expatriate in a country like Mexico. So glad that you had the courage to stand up against corruption, and will be praying that you will have the right words in the meetings to come.
What a crazy ride! Glad you are speaking up! Hope it all ends well!