When Amy first signed up to volunteer at Watermark Urgent Care she was excited to use her medical experience and nursing skills to serve. But, she never thought she would be incorporating her faith. “I’ll do the nursing,” she remembers thinking. “The other volunteers here can handle the spiritual conversations.”
As Amy started serving alongside other medical professionals who were modeling what it looked like to share their faith, she began to be challenged in her way of thinking. That, along with training she received in preparation for a clinic trip to Haiti, helped equip her to articulate the faith she had not known how to share in her past.
One day while serving on site, she was challenged by another volunteer to put what she had been learning into practice by engaging spiritually in a patient room. Despite being nervous, Amy obliged. The first time she initiated a spiritual conversation her patient quickly responded and was relieved to have a compassionate listener as they opened up about the hardships they had faced. Amy got to encourage her with the truth of who God is, how He is there in the midst of our suffering, and that He wants to walk closely with us. The two prayed together as they wrapped up the visit.
Amy was amazed at how simple it was to transition conversations and how willing and thankful her patients were that she had taken the time to discuss spiritual things. Something that seemed daunting before was now doable!
Amy continues to practice sharing her faith and it is now a normal part of her life, not only in the clinic but at work, on planes, and with friends. In 2017, Amy began serving on our leadership team and in that role trains other volunteers on how to share their faith as well. She also now signs up to serve in the pastoral care role as well as in the nursing ones.
One study indicates that 94% of patients desire that their medical staff would discuss spiritual things with them, but a majority of Christian healthcare workers feel intimidated or ill-equipped to share their faith. Within our four walls, medical professionals are learning how to not only live out their faith through acts of service but how to articulate the reason why they do what they do.
Help make sure we can continue to disciple the next generation of healthcare professionals. Donate today.
