DC chaplain: “100 blessings a day”

David Balto, volunteer chaplain at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, offers insight into how he approaches spiritual care in this almost-1,000 bed hospital in the nation’s capital:

What happens to the woman who cleans the bathrooms, the man who washes the dishes, the associates who cook and prepare the food, and those who remove the trash? How about the associates who run the infrastructure, make sure the hospital is clean, keep the machines operational? Do they know we are grateful for their efforts? Do they feel blessed?

In the hospital, I reflect as I pass the associates transporting patients, the clean-up crews, the trash collectors: Do I notice them? Do I fully recognize their work? Have I expressed my gratitude?

So, one day I decided to try to do just that.

Read more here. Chaplain Balto also wrote a reflection on his service as a Jewish chaplain on Christmas, with the numerous moments it offered that highlighted the significance of spiritual care for all.