By Dierdre L. McCool, Butterfield Foundation
Matthew 9:35-38 reads: And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom; and healing every sickness, and every disease among the people. When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Jesus engaged. He loved everyone and intentionally went after the vulnerable.
Jesus taught. He talked about the importance of loving God, neighbors, strangers, and enemies. He emphasized the importance of forgiveness and repentance.
Jesus shared. He wanted everyone to know He was the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus healed. He cured people from sickness and disease.
Jesus cared. Compassion was a primary attribute of His. He longed for the crowds to experience peace, acceptance, and a sense of belonging.
Jesus set the standard for whole person healthcare and restoration. For one to flourish, He taught the body, soul and spirit of each man and woman had to be transformed by His power. As His disciples, we are called to follow in our Shepherd’s footsteps.
At the Butterfield Foundation (Foundation), we constantly seek innovative ways to practice Spirit-led stewardship that transforms lives. We seek to go after the poor and disenfranchised throughout the world via our funding. We endeavor to build and maintain unity through love and forgiveness. We strive to be Gospel-centric in our interactions and granting. We fund initiatives to promote physical healing and are seeking ways to address mental, social, and spiritual brokenness too. We base our ministry on compassion, purposefully and sacrificially extending grace to each person with whom we encounter.
Spiritual health is often over-looked as an indicator of overall well-being. Therefore, the Foundation recently launched an initiative to advance spiritual care in charitable Christian clinics and Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHC’s). Students from Christian learning institutions who are studying to be pastors, chaplains, missionaries, etc. are given an opportunity to grow their skills and engage in meaningful conversations with patients from a variety of different backgrounds through the Eric Baird Spiritual Care Internship (EBSCI).
The pilot for this program started in partnership with Mid-America Christian University (MACU) and Crossings Community Center & Clinic (Crossings). Savannah Balute was the first student to take part in the internship during the 2021 spring semester. She indicated serving at Crossings not only challenged her but connected her with those who are from very different places, backgrounds, and beliefs. She said, “This internship taught me that you do not need all the answers and fixes to people’s problems. Instead, it’s about trusting the Holy Spirit and His guidance.”
(Pictured from left to right: Marq Youngblood, Executive Director, Crossings; Savannah Balute, MACU; Dierdre L. McCool, Executive Vice President, Foundation)
Interest continues to grow in this program. The Foundation now has partnerships with the following entities: The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital; Christ Community Health Services; and Harding Theological Seminary. The primary purpose of this initiative is to motivate students to consider careers serving vulnerable populations in the healthcare field. To learn more information about the EBSCI, visit our website at www.butterfieldfoundation.org or contact Dierdre L. McCool, Executive Vice President at dierdrem@butterfieldfoundation.org.