Bonding through prayer: How one nonprofit medical clinic’s team grew closer to their patients and each other
Bonding through prayer: How one nonprofit medical clinic’s team grew closer to their patients and each other
In early January 2024, Shameka Allen got up in front of her team at Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett just like she does every morning during the week at 7:30 a.m. to lead the staff’s daily devotional and prayer time. But on this particular day, she began with a moment of vulnerability about a situation she’d kept quiet for many months.
“So I said, ‘I’m just going to let you guys know that it’s been a rough year,” she said, and openly shared her story about going through a divorce.
Shameka had never shared that much about her personal life in front of the whole team before, but she knew others had been dealing with challenges outside of work, too. She hoped her story would encourage others to open up and ask for prayer.
They did, and through sharing their struggles, the staff began to grow closer to each other.
“So now everybody gets up, and we hear these stories and we’re like, ‘I can’t believe you were going through that,’” Shameka said.
Everyone is then able to pray over each other’s situations — from spouses’ jobs to growing families — and see God at work.
“Our staff are very, very close and very connected because they share very intimate details about their lives with each other,” she said. “Because when you start your morning praying and taking prayer requests in front of a group of 40 or 50 people, that creates a bond.”
That intentional prayer, openness and trust internally has helped staff be more comfortable witnessing to patients who come to Good Sam’s clinic. With its mission to demonstrate the love of Christ through providing health and dental care for the under- and uninsured, Good Sam’s staff are empowered to openly share their faith and to pray with patients during appointments.
“The enemy does not want you to testify,” Shameka said she often tells her staff. “He does not want you to talk about God’s grace. He wants you to remain quiet and not share it because your testimony can help someone else.”
Being able to be a part of an organization that melds spiritual care with health care to serve those most in need is something Shameka had been seeking after leaving the conventional healthcare field, disenfranchised in how it handled people experiencing poverty.
“I always say it’s like domestic missionary work because we’ve literally had people here from over 70 countries,” Shameka said. “You learn about their culture and how they view healthcare. Patients come from all different backgrounds and all different religions. A lot of our volunteers come from all different backgrounds and religions. But the point is to just make people welcome and to show them the love of Christ by loving them, regardless of their background, and I think people kind of feel that when they come here.”
While faith in Christ is not a requirement to receive care, Shameka said Good Sam is unapologetically Christian. In addition to the frequent prayers with patients, the clinic is adorned with images of churches and Bible verses; staff hand out Bibles in English and Spanish to people who want them; and there’s a biblical counselor available for anyone — patients or staff — to see to discuss biblical concepts, to pray or to just talk.
Each of these reflects the team’s core belief for Good Sam to openly rely on God and put faith in his provision and goodness — both inside the clinic and beyond, even during difficult seasons of life, like the one Shameka experienced.
“If I had to go through something that traumatic, I thank God that I was here when it happened. Because if I had been anywhere else in the world and this had fallen upon me, I don’t know if I would have been able to handle it as well,” she said. “But being in an environment where everyone believes in prayer, it really helped me through.”
To support Good Samaritan Health Centers and the incredible work they do for our community, visit https://cfneg.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4696.
Bonding through prayer: How one nonprofit medical clinic’s team grew closer to their patients and each other
Bonding through prayer: How one nonprofit medical clinic’s team grew closer to their patients and each other
In early January 2024, Shameka Allen got up in front of her team at Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett just like she does every morning during the week at 7:30 a.m. to lead the staff’s daily devotional and prayer time. But on this particular day, she began with a moment of vulnerability about a situation she’d kept quiet for many months.
“So I said, ‘I’m just going to let you guys know that it’s been a rough year,” she said, and openly shared her story about going through a divorce.
Shameka had never shared that much about her personal life in front of the whole team before, but she knew others had been dealing with challenges outside of work, too. She hoped her story would encourage others to open up and ask for prayer.
They did, and through sharing their struggles, the staff began to grow closer to each other.
“So now everybody gets up, and we hear these stories and we’re like, ‘I can’t believe you were going through that,’” Shameka said.
Everyone is then able to pray over each other’s situations — from spouses’ jobs to growing families — and see God at work.
“Our staff are very, very close and very connected because they share very intimate details about their lives with each other,” she said. “Because when you start your morning praying and taking prayer requests in front of a group of 40 or 50 people, that creates a bond.”
That intentional prayer, openness and trust internally has helped staff be more comfortable witnessing to patients who come to Good Sam’s clinic. With its mission to demonstrate the love of Christ through providing health and dental care for the under- and uninsured, Good Sam’s staff are empowered to openly share their faith and to pray with patients during appointments.
“The enemy does not want you to testify,” Shameka said she often tells her staff. “He does not want you to talk about God’s grace. He wants you to remain quiet and not share it because your testimony can help someone else.”
Being able to be a part of an organization that melds spiritual care with health care to serve those most in need is something Shameka had been seeking after leaving the conventional healthcare field, disenfranchised in how it handled people experiencing poverty.
“I always say it’s like domestic missionary work because we’ve literally had people here from over 70 countries,” Shameka said. “You learn about their culture and how they view healthcare. Patients come from all different backgrounds and all different religions. A lot of our volunteers come from all different backgrounds and religions. But the point is to just make people welcome and to show them the love of Christ by loving them, regardless of their background, and I think people kind of feel that when they come here.”
While faith in Christ is not a requirement to receive care, Shameka said Good Sam is unapologetically Christian. In addition to the frequent prayers with patients, the clinic is adorned with images of churches and Bible verses; staff hand out Bibles in English and Spanish to people who want them; and there’s a biblical counselor available for anyone — patients or staff — to see to discuss biblical concepts, to pray or to just talk.
Each of these reflects the team’s core belief for Good Sam to openly rely on God and put faith in his provision and goodness — both inside the clinic and beyond, even during difficult seasons of life, like the one Shameka experienced.
“If I had to go through something that traumatic, I thank God that I was here when it happened. Because if I had been anywhere else in the world and this had fallen upon me, I don’t know if I would have been able to handle it as well,” she said. “But being in an environment where everyone believes in prayer, it really helped me through.”
To support Good Samaritan Health Centers and the incredible work they do for our community, visit https://cfneg.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4696.
