The Other Door

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:34-40

One evening, sitting at the end of a dock in Honduras, Dr. Gayle (Savage) Davidson sensed that what once felt like a Christian duty became a life mission. by Eryn Conyers '16

The ‘75 YC alum had gone on mission trips before, and she had taught the Word of God in many places around the world. But something in her heart changed that night many years ago and led her to spend more than 40 years in the foreign mission field.

“I didn’t realize until my last day in Honduras that I was doing it because I was supposed to do it -- because it was on my ‘list,’ because it was my duty,” said Davidson. “I finally realized that none of the “list” mattered unless it was coming from my heart.”

Anyone who attended YC with Davidson, also known as “Savage,” or has spent any amount of time talking about the good old days with her, would know she has an ornery side. Davidson would admit that she was a rule-breaker and caused some trouble back in the day. But what you would also quickly realize is that same spunk and determination is the driving force behind a very demanding but rewarding life of service.

“I was in the office of Dolores Campbell (Dean of Student Life) every other week, and I can remember that instead of asking me why I did what I did, she would ask (and she asked me more than once), ‘Gayle, what are you going to do with your life?’ I would respond, ‘I don’t know.’ And she would say, ‘That’s okay, Gayle, as long as you do it for Jesus.’ That stuck with me. I knew I was unconditionally loved at York College.”

Davidson’s work has ranged from medical mission trips to Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, and New Orleans to her annual service as a group leader and coordinator with TORCH Missions to removing gang-related tattoos of ex-gang members. All these efforts continue today, along with her leadership as medical director of Clinica de Esperanza, a free

medical clinic in Santa Ana, Honduras.

Davidson is now a full-time missionary in Honduras. She gave up her practice in Florida in 2016. Davidson and her ministry partners at The Interamerican Restoration Corporation (IRC) focus on overall health. While they provide medical care, their program takes a holistic approach to health and wellness. The IRC organizes a variety of projects in Honduras as well as other parts of Central America, including medical and building projects, food programs, water projects and outreach programs.

“I’ve completely changed my approach to healthcare. It’s not just what people think of as medicine, diet, checkups, lab work, X-rays, etc.,” stressed Davidson. “Healthcare is about so much more. It’s not healthy to not live in a house. It’s not healthy to not have enough food to eat. It’s not healthy to be

so stressed out about how you’re going to take care of your family. It’s not healthy to not have the money to buy basics in life, or not have clean water.”

As Davidson and her team tend to the basic needs of people, they also take the opportunity to talk about Jesus. Each person who has been provided a home, food, water, or medicine has heard the Word of God.

Davidson explained, “I follow the example of Jesus, and most of his ministry was healing people. Is healing someone at my clinic the most important? No, what’s important is that I open the door to the spiritual needs of the person. It may seem nice that I give medical attention to people in need but that’s not why I am in Honduras. I’m there to get them through that other door.”

In any ministry and in life, there are mountains to

overcome. Most recently, as many understand, the mountain has been Covid-19. And for Gayle specifically, it’s the effects it has had on the people of Honduras. Restrictions were made early on. Stay at home orders were issued, only allowing a certain amount of people based on their i.d. number out into the public once every two or three weeks. All public transportation was shut down, which is what the majority of the population uses to get from one place to another.

Unfortunately, with more and more restrictions on travel, Davidson had to come stateside in early March. But she’s

" That’s not why I am in Honduras. I’m there to get them through that other door."

working harder than ever to fundraise money for meals and gather protective equipment for the people of Honduras. As of late May, they were giving out 2,000 bags of food, each bag feeding a family of four for a week. The clinic is temporarily closed, but she is still seeing patients online.

“I promise I did not pray for patience but I need some. I have been having a hard time dealing with being “benched “ from Honduras. BUT I had to remind myself that God has me just where I need to be,” shared Davidson on a recent Facebook post. “I like the front lines. But where would that get me? On lockdown only to come out every three weeks? I’m much more useful here, getting the people of Honduras what they need. It was the plan all along--a good reminder that I am a tool in the toolbox.”

Davidson will receive the York College Alumna of the Year Award this fall at Homecoming. She is also organizing a reunion for the class of ‘75 and the classes surrounding her years. n