ABOUT THE AGAPE CLINIC

The founding of the clinic was inspired by a pediatrician that Dr. Barbara Stark Baxter met when she was in medical school. The doctor’s name was Dr. Robert Appleby and he practiced medicine in Connecticut. "He had started a free clinic or a low-cost volunteer clinic in his area and also had a private practice. ​

This appealed to me because I was a chicken! I wanted to do mission work but I was concerned about the health risks associated with going into areas of Africa where there are dreaded diseases that have no cures. I also wanted to raise a family of my own and have the wonderful Suburban lifestyle for my children that I experience growing up on Long Island. After seeing how Dr. Appleby was able to combine a successful private practice with a fruitful volunteer activity, I thought I would follow in his footsteps and to do something similar after establishing my practice. However I ended up starting the clinic before I even finished training. When my husband and I tried to have children, we ran into about three years of infertility I became quite depressed. In order to look outside myself and work through my depression, I decided to try to volunteer earlier. I looked for a clinic opportunity in Dallas but could not find one.
​I was directed to the federal community clinic Los Barrios Unidos in West Dallas. I offered my services as a volunteer doctor there but they told me that they needed me to be on their board instead. If I worked as a volunteer it could cause them to receive less money from the federal government! I joined their board and within two months I  heard of the opportunity to start a clinic in a church in East Dallas at one of the board meetings! ​

It turned out that that opportunity came from our own Highland Park United Methodist Church giving funding to the east Dallas cooperative parish with Ruth Sharp Altshuler’s leadership, but I had to go to west Dallas to hear about the opportunity in East Dallas that was funded by my church in North Dallas. Once God connected me to the right place where I was supposed to serve, the rest was easy. We opened on August 20, 1983 in a closet in the basement of Grace United Methodist Church, and now we are in a 10,000 square-foot building across the street 35 years later!"
​Dr. Baxter says her most meaningful experience she has had at the clinic has been watching the organization grow and expand and change. "I’ve learned to embrace changes and always be grateful for the experiences I have there.

She continues to volunteer there because "(A) they still let me and (B) it’s so much more fun than documenting encounters perfectly for the insurance company; to try to justify every cent on a fee-for-service claim , and (C) because I am a healer , and I get a thrill each time I feel I’ve helped someone even a little ."

Dr. Baxter recounts, "A few weeks ago a lady brought in her expensive medication for arthritis and the usual person who gave it wasn’t there, so I gave it . Turns out YOU TUBE taught me how to operate the unique device in 3 minutes. She was so excited, because she had been putting the shot too close to her knee, and I showed her where it should go , and the shot didn’t hurt . She was bracing herself for severe pain and there was NONE. I wish I could give that to everyone . Health care without pain !!!" 

Dr. Baxter says volunteering has become the most important work she has accomplished in her life. "I receive so much recognition for it that I feel guilty ! There are so many volunteers who come to Agape and love it and who never get any real recognition or praise . Years ago, we had a party and gave out plaques, after I researched our handwritten encounter notebook to find out who volunteered the most , over the first 25 years ( not sure of date , I’ll email again if off much ) . We had already had over 700 volunteers ! It’s so humbling to realize how many people bring their gifts and talents to the Lord every day."  "Serving has strengthened my faith . God is Good . All the Time ! Each person is one, only one. But each person is unique and can find something to give to others. If each person gives as s/he is able, and gets out of God’s way , or maybe gets IN GOD’s WAY, hence surrounded by HIS love, they will have the opportunity to experience the high that comes from letting His love flow through you."
​Amen to that :) ​