Lake Highlands resident Mark Wingfield has seen the difficulties threatening Parkland Hospital, and he has a simple proposal in mind – a Day of Prayer for the leaders, the employees and the mission of Parkland.

“I don’t have any political agenda,” said Wingfield, Associate Pastor at Wilshire Baptist Church, “only a realization that we really need Parkland to succeed.” After four years as president of the board of Healing Hands Ministries, one of the largest charity medical clinics in Dallas, Wingfield says he’s “come to newfound understanding about the essential safety net Parkland provides.”

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Wingfield recognizes Parkland’s challenges. Investigations over following proper procedures for patient care have raised questions about federal funding and accreditation. “Parkland stands at one of the most critical junctures in its history,” Wingfield shared in a letter to the Dallas Faith Community. “I cannot imagine what life in Dallas County would be like without Parkland succeeding at its mission.”

His plan isn’t fancy, there’s no press kit or curriculum, just an invitation to pray any time over the course of this weekend. “Fifty percent of the physicians practicing in Dallas County trained at Parkland,” Wingfield reminds us. “Every day 45 babies are born there and more than 400 people are seen in the ER.”

“We share a desire to care for ‘the least of these’ among us and to help all people know fullness of life. Even though Parkland is not a ‘religious’ institution, what happens there every day is a fulfillment of this basic faith value.”