Ecclesia Ministries' Pastoral Care Team visits homeless people in respite care centers run by Boston Health Care for the Homeless. Typically volunteers visit a facility once a week for around two hours, usually in the company of another volunteer. Volunteers may do art projects, play cards or games, or just listen and talk. Some like to offer the possibility of quiet prayer time with patients.
Some volunteers bring in baked goods, or collect used books and magazines to offer to patients.
The main requirement of volunteers is a willingness to listen and become engaged with patients in one on one relationships, and to provide an opportunity for patients to have safe and confidential conversations about whatever may be of concern to them. Newcomers are partnered initially with an experienced Pastoral Care Visitor and they visit as a pair until both feel that the new member is ready to branch out alone. At this point the new Pastoral Care Visitor may want to pair up with another Team member. An average of two hours a week is ideal. Five thousand homeless people are admitted to Boston area hospitals each year with no one to visit or offer spiritual support.