The Luke Project 52 Clinic is a special place where life is treasured.
In an effort to reduce the shocking infant mortality rate in Detroit, The Luke Project 52 Clinic provides loving, personalized pre-natal and infant care in Jesus’ name to any mother who needs it—free of charge.
Related: Read more about Concordia’s involvement with The Luke Project 52 Clinic
Brad Garrison, pastor and pharmacist, and his wife, Sherie, a nurse with over 40 years of experience in high-risk delivery and neonatal intensive care, started the clinic in Detroit, Michigan in 2016, and launched their mobile unit in early 2020. They are poised to expand to another static location in the near future.
CUAA students have been an integral part of the project from its inception, and Concordia graduates continue to work for the lives of babies and their mothers. The clinic recently brought four Concordians onto their team.
Tyler Cronkright (’15), Pastor at Family of God Church
Q: What is your role with Luke 52?
A: I will give spiritual counsel when asked and I get the pleasure of baptizing the children, should the mother desire to have her child baptized.
Q: What has been the most moving moment you’ve experienced at the clinic?
I have gotten to speak hope and love into one of the mothers who miscarried and witness a handful of women that surrounded her in that time of hurt and pray with her. I have also gotten to baptize an entire family when the mother gave birth to her child.
Q: What is one thing you wish more people knew about Luke 52?
I wish that more people knew about how much the Luke 52 staff truly cares about the people that they serve. The people of Luke 52 give everything that they have to provide not only physical care to these patients, but also spiritual care. They truly exhibit the love of Jesus.
Maria Lulgjuraj (’18), RN, Pediatric Clinical Care Coordinator
Q: What initially drew you to get involved at Luke 52 and what keeps you there?
A: What keeps me involved with the Luke Clinic is the way they care for their patients. They are extremely hands on and do every and any thing they can to make sure their safe, healthy, cared for, and heard—always going above and beyond for them. On top of that, at the clinic you are able to spend one on one time with patients and truly get to know them, which is rare in this career, so it’s truly beautiful and special.
Q: What has been the most moving moment you’ve experienced at work?
A: Honestly, I don’t think there has been one big moment, but rather tons of little ones. I see God working through the clinic every single day— through a baby’s laughter, a mother’s smile when hearing her baby’s heartbeat, or seeing patients come together to care and support one another. You will be moved the moment you walk through those doors.
Q: What is one thing you wish more people knew about Luke 52?
A: How much we truly care about our patients. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to be sure our patients are able to get the care they deserve. We have a triage number they can call at any hour of the day and a nurse will be ready to answer and help.
Related: Maria Lulgjaraj receives Alpha Class Compassion Award
Nichole Kesterson (May ’20), RN
Q: What is your role with Luke 52?
A: I am a Registered Nurse both in-office, coordinating care for moms and babies, and in-clinic, working directly with patients. This experience has truly changed my life. I am so thankful for the opportunities that the Luke clinic has provided for me both in nursing school and now currently as a Registered Nurse working and volunteering at the clinic
Q: What initially drew you to get involved at Luke 52 and what keeps you there?
A: The care they give and bring to moms and babies. Having been a teenage single mother myself I can relate to these moms. Finding out about the Luke clinic fall of 2018, I knew this clinic was where I could see myself working and volunteering. Giving back and helping teen mothers get the care that they need and deserve really has a special place in my heart because I know how hard it can be.
Q: What has been the most moving moment you’ve experienced at work?
A: The most meaningful and moving moments I have experienced during my time at the Luke clinic would have to be seeing mom’s and their babies for the first time since birth. Working closely with these mom’s and coordinating their care during pregnancy and finally getting to meet these precious babies for the first time and celebrate this milestone with them is an indescribable feeling.
Q: What is one thing you wish more people knew about Luke 52?
A: One thing I wish more people knew about the Luke clinic is just how much our roles in the patient’s pregnancies and pediatric care really changes lives. This clinic does more for their patients than any other clinic I’ve ever worked in. All in all we have God to thank for that because this is truly his clinic. There isn’t another clinic out there that does what the Luke Project 52 does for moms and babies in need and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer and work there.
Amy Kindred (Dec. ’20)
Q: What is your role with Luke 52?
A: I’ve had the amazing opportunity to work in the role of an RN at Luke 52, but have also found myself helping quite a bit with the administrative side of Luke 52 and helping coordinate the flow of patients and care on our clinic days.
Q: What initially drew you to get involved at Luke 52 and what keeps you there?
A: I was first introduced to Luke 52 for my preceptorship in my final semester of nursing school. After the first few days there, I fell in love with the mission and the work they do. There is something so special about each and everyone one of our moms and babies, as well as everyone one of our nurses, doctors, administrative staff, students, and lab technicians who work mostly on a volunteer basis.
Q: What has been the most moving moment you’ve experienced at work?
A: At Luke 52 we experience so many special moments with our patients. During my time here, I have had the experience of being present when a young mom was informed that she had experienced a miscarriage. In one of most devastating and difficult moments of this young woman’s life, but the wonderful people who work at Luke 52 were able to surround her with so much love and compassion, give her all the resources to cope with the loss, and let her know that she was not alone. This mom ended up staying almost the entire clinic being loved, prayed for, and supported. Although it was a devastating situation, it was one of the most special moments I’ve gotten to experience.
Q: What is one thing you wish more people knew about Luke 52?
A: I wish that more people understood that Luke 52 is not just a clinic that is held every first and third Thursday of the month. It is a ministry that is there to serve its patients every single day. Whether it’s a 3 a.m. phone call or text to the triage line, getting all the supplies and toys they need from Benjamin’s Closet during clinic hours, or a Monday home visit from the Mobile Antenatal Testing Unit, Luke 52 is always there to ensure their patients are healthy, safe, and taken care of in every way possible.
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