ADVENTHEALTH SHAWNEE MISSION
Spiritual Ambassadors Bring Comfort and Hope at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission
heresa Watkins began emailing her team members this year to ask for prayer requests. A radiology data coordinator at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, she and others in the department divide up a list of 150 radiology staff to make sure everyone is prayed for every quarter. They let their team members know that they’ll be praying for them and asked if they had any special requests. “People are so appreciative that someone is there for them,” says Watkins. “I had a couple people tell me the email came at an opportune time, because they had a struggle in their lives or with their families.” Watkins reaches out to her fellow team members as part of the Spiritual Ambassador program at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. Through the program, she helps give
spiritual ambassadors and helped to advance the hospital’s mission in extending the healing ministry of Christ. “They saw themselves as ambassadors to come alongside people’s journeys and be able to minister through prayer and spiritual counseling,” says Torres. Today, Torres estimates there are about 5,000 spiritual ambassadors at AdventHealth facilities. He visits the hospitals to help provide training and guidance for those who Getty Images volunteer for the program. Spiritual ambassadors are emotional and spiritual supencouraged to find ways to port in times of need. serve the needs of team mem“Our goals are to build bers as well as the community. trust, create community “It’s about building intenand foster hope,” says Mark tional relationships,” says Stoddart, administrative Torres. “That means listening director of spiritual wellness to other people’s stories and at AdventHealth Shawnee being a part of their journey Mission. “A spiritual ambas- so when they’re in a difficult sador works to facilitate a moment, they know they have safe place where people can someone there for them.” be themselves.” During the presentations, Torres talks about serving Coming alongside three basic human needs: spiritual journeys trust, belonging and hope. “We have to earn the The program was started 17 respect of others in our relayears ago at AdventHealth’s tionships,” says Torres. “A spirflagship hospital in Florida, itual ambassador should be AdventHealth Orlando. Back someone who has an outlook then, nurses at the hospiof peace and joy to create a tal approached their chief positive, enriching experience nursing officer to ask if they for team members.” could pray for those who Spiritual ambassadors needed spiritual support, should also be trustworthy says Sergio Torres, manager and make all team members for spiritual ambassadors feel like they belong, he adds. at AdventHealth. Those That starts with accepting 25 nurses became the first differences, including religious
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and cultural backgrounds. “I don’t have to fit in to belong. I don’t have to change who I am to belong. I just have to be me,” explains Torres. When people know they’re not alone, they feel hopeful and positive about coming to work every day. “Hope comes out of providing meaning,” says Stoddart. “That meaning can be found in whatever line of work you have, whether it’s clinical or nonclinical. It’s about knowing that your service means something to others.” For Watkins, the program has been a rewarding experience. She started volunteering because she liked the idea of acknowledging spirituality in the workplace. She often shares with team members how faith has helped her get through stressful situations. She feels honored that people trust her to talk about their challenges and makes sure they know she’s on their side. “It takes the pressure off that you don’t have to have all the answers,” she says. “We just have to be there and listen.” Ann Muder is a writer/editor for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission.
For more information about our hospital mission and health services, visit AdventHealthKC.com.
