“Commitment and Compassion” by Kelly Campbell
Philadelphia Montage, Source Six images on Wikimedia Commons, Author en:User:Jleon (Transfered by MSClaudiu/Original uploaded by Jleon), (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)
The following is by Kelly Campbell, a staff attorney at Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia https://clcphila.org/. CLCP is a faith based organization which provides free legal services to the poor through the dedication of volunteer attorneys, law students, and paralegals. CLCP staff members, also, pray with willing clients.
As poverty has always been an issue close to my heart, I am proud of having co-founded the predecessor to CLCP. Dennis Abrams, a respected trial attorney mentioned below, was a co-founder of both organizations. He is now the President of CLCP.
I encourage you to pray for CLCP and give, if you are able to do so. More information about the concept of Christian legal aid can be found above.
Jaimee Hatcher, CLCP Exec. Dir., explains it this way: “If our work is only legal then it dies when our clients die. However, if our work is both legal and soul focused it has the ability to have an impact that lasts for eternity.”
“Aurelia is a co-pastor at her Church, and she spends time praying with patients at a hospital in the city…Aurelia found herself in a predicament when she was wrongfully sued by someone she had once considered family.”
“The case was complex, and the accuser created a false narrative that Aurelia…owed him a large sum of money…[Unable to afford a lawyer] Aurelia came to Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia. Lewis Trauffer, a volunteer attorney, took her case and represented Aurelia in the Municipal Court. The Judge found in Aurelia’s favor. However, the opposing party appealed the case. After this happened, two other volunteers, Attorney Dennis Abrams…and Debbie Woodall, a volunteer paralegal, agreed to handle Aurelia’s case. Debbie has volunteered with CLCP for over ten years and is thankful for the opportunities to serve God in this ministry. Through conversations with Aurelia and analyzing the legal filings, Debbie found inconsistent claims made by the person who sued Aurelia. She and Dennis worked on…preparing the case for arbitration. Debbie was consistently available to Aurelia to provide her with updates and support throughout the legal process. She also encouraged Aurelia in her relationship with the Lord…
Dennis communicated with the opposing attorney, and finally, in September 2023, the case was withdrawn. Aurelia feels…[CLCP] went above and beyond for her…
[She] is one of the millions of people in this country who cannot afford an attorney. But for CLCP and clinics like CLCP, she would not have had access to justice [1].”
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[1] Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia – Ministry Briefs, “Commitment and Compassion” by Kelly Campbell, Fall Edition 2023.
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A Lawyer's Prayers 
I am thankful for the door of ministry God has opened via this Christian legal organization. So many of our poor are neglected and eventually forgotten yet God raises up individuals and organizations to mend the broken.
You are so right, Ron. We may never be able to cure poverty. But God can lift the spirits of the poor — offering peace and comfort in this world, and life with Him in the next. That is not “pie in the sky” philosophy. It is transformative truth, changing lives and communities.
So true. One of the things that I love about the Lord is that while on earth He demonstrated love in practical ways. Such a lesson for us all.