Receiving God's Presence

in Being Present With Others

Photograph of the Salas-Tam Family (L to R): Allen Tam, Naomi Tam, and Chelsea Salas-Tam, MD, CASQM

One day earlier this year, Esperanza family medicine physician Chelsea Salas-Tam, MD, CASQM was facing a particularly busy patient schedule. One of the patients on her schedule was Jay*, someone she expected to be a very quick visit—he typically comes for his medication refills, doesn’t stay long to chat and leaves as soon as he can. However, on this particular day their conversation was a lot deeper than usual. Jay talked about the trauma he had been facing, and shared that he was getting very tired of life and did not want to go through it anymore. As she listened to Jay share, Chelsea felt the Lord telling her to just be present with him, putting all else aside and to not worry about her other patients or getting behind in her busy schedule.

As she sat with Jay, Chelsea knew that God was there with them as he shared about his struggles. She explained to Jay that even though she may not have been through all that he had experienced, she knew that God understood. After asking Jay about his faith, he responded by acknowledging that although he would sometimes try to read the Bible, it did not seem to work for him. When Chelsea asked Jay if he would like to pray, he agreed and they spent some time praying together. Before leaving, Chelsea asked Jay if he would like a hug, sensing that he needed one, and he accepted. Later, Chelsea got a call from one of Esperanza’s behavioral health consultants who had spoken with Jay—she shared how grateful Jay was for the hug, and that it was the first hug that he had received in two years. Chelsea finished seeing the rest of her patients on time that day, which she owed to God’s faithfulness, and by trusting Him she was able to listen to Jay despite a packed schedule. 

Chelsea’s encounter with Jay shows that Jesus will always meet us, wherever we might be or whatever we’re facing. He also calls us to not try to fix the people we are with, but rather that it’s important to just hear what they have to say. Chelsea felt God’s presence just by sitting with Jay, making the time to be present with him and to listen–as she explained, ”Jesus does indeed sit with us in the suffering.”

This was a reminder she really needed, during a particular time of reflection in her own life. Chelsea shared, ”Sometimes, our current season in life feels like Good Friday instead of Easter, but God is there with us no matter what.” A good verse to remind us that God is with us during suffering comes from Psalm 23:4 where it says: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.” May this verse and the story of Chelsea’s patient remind us how comforting the Lord is to all of us through the struggles we face.

*The patient’s name has been changed to protect his identity.

Esperanza Launches its

Pediatric Behavioral Health Initiative

In June 2026, Esperanza Health Center officially launched its new Pediatric Behavioral Health Initiative. With generous funding through a three-year grant from the William Penn Foundation our expanded staff, including pediatric case managers and social services consultants, will support children between 0-8 years of age with complex behavioral and mental health needs and their families. The aim of the initiative is to provide timely, coordinated, and family-centered interventions that reduce barriers to accessing care, improve treatment engagement, and address the social, emotional, and environmental factors that influence a child's overall health and well-being. For example, for children who are identified as having developmental delays, including autism, can be more quickly referred to outside specialty services not provided within Esperanza, and parents can receive needed support including family peer support and parenting skills education.

This initiative will also support additional needs of families such as language barriers, and other social needs will be more readily addressed. Under the leadership of Aneesha Reeder, Esperanza’s Director of Behavioral Health, and Kerith Duggan, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC, Associate Medical Director of Pediatrics, the initiative will provide timely, coordinated, and family-centered interventions that reduce barriers to accessing care, improve treatment engagement, and address the social, emotional, and environmental factors that influence a child's overall health and well-being. More information will be available on our website soon!

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Community Health and Wellness

Summer Updates

Our Community Health and Wellness (CHW) department kicked-off the summer with many exciting programs, including a new Community Lifestyle Medicine Program cohort, a Financial Wellness Series in partnership with Everence, our first Summer 2026 pop-up park and much more! 

The Summer fun doesn’t end there! CHW continues to run programs for kids, youth, and adults, many in partnership with local organizations. Here are some of the free activities available to the community this Summer at The CORE at 3222 H Street.

• FREE BREAKFAST: Mondays - Fridays, 8:45 - 9:15 AM for 18 and under.
• CYPHER at the CORE: Tuesdays, July 14^th to Aug 18^th, 11 AM - 12 PM. This is a 6-week program offering support and mentorship for teens ages 14 - 18 yrs.
• Cooking for Youth: Mondays, Aug 10^th & 17^th, 1 - 3 PM for 6^th - 12^th graders.
• Cooking with Vetri: Thursdays during all of July, 1 - 3 PM for 3^rd - 5^th graders.

You can register for these and other programs by clicking below - or, email promoter@esperanzahealth.com or call (215) 302-3600, ext. 503 for more information.

Summer Medical Institute (SMI) Philadelphia - Reaching Our Philadelphia Communities

We’re giving thanks for another successful Summer Medical Institute this year - SMI Philly 2026! From June 20 - July 11, a group of 16 college and health professions students from around the country, together with volunteers and faculty, including current and former Esperanza staff, served the people of our Kensington communities. Teams conducted outreach through door-to-door health screens, health education and prayer, seeking to address physical as well as spiritual needs of those they met. Students also participated in teaching sessions led by various faculty throughout SMI’s three weeks, and also had the opportunity to shadow with Esperanza care providers during patient care sessions.

As Woody Chipman, SMI Philadelphia Program Director, notes: “Throughout the years, hundreds of healthcare students have come through SMI and left with a greater vision for what it means to live out the Gospel through their work in healthcare. Many now serve in underserved communities similar to the neighborhoods they encountered during SMI.” Two of this year’s SMI Philly students, Sonya Schuster and Benjamin Furness, shared their perspectives on how their shadowing experiences impacted them:

“During shadowing, I appreciated seeing the intentionality that the providers had in preparing to see their patients. It was neat to see the providers I shadowed work with their colleagues to discuss each patient on the schedule and then pray over the day. I also enjoyed seeing how the providers took the time to listen to each patient attentively, even which things came up that set them behind schedule. I learned so much by watching the providers and asking them questions and feel blessed to have seen firsthand some of the work at Esperanza!” - Sonya Schuster, Pre-Physician Assistant, Purdue University

“Shadowing at Esperanza was definitely eye opening because of the Christian perspective providers could bring—but what I learned most from was the adaptability and bedside manner of the providers. I find it incredible seeing the way these providers were able to adjust and connect with kids, adults going through a lot, older adults with chronic problems, or even patients lost in addiction. They were full of grace for each one but also found ways to connect with each one regardless of age or situation. I learned so much from this experience.” - Benjamin Furness, Pre-Med, University of Michigan

Thank You to the Romans Bible Study Group!

Esperanza Health Center would like to extend a big thank you to the Romans Bible study group from Fountain of Life in Burlington, NJ, for their generous donation to our Cada Madre Fund. All gifts to this fund support the needs of expecting and new mothers and infants at Esperanza, including new car seats and other baby needs.

You also can help us serve the mothers and infants in our community through your donation to the Cada Madre Fund.

• To donate items, please call our OB Coordinator at 215.302.3600 ext 464.
• To make a monetary donation to the Cada Madre Fund, please visit our website below.



Join a Mission-Driven Christian

Healthcare Ministry!

Whether it’s in administration or our clinical teams, we’re always looking to grow! We are seeking qualified, dedicated individuals for open positions, including:

• Chief Financial Officer
• Registered Dietitian
• Dental Assistant
• Intensive Care Manager
• Licensed Behavioral Health Consultant

These jobs are a wonderful way for individuals in your community to use their gifts in service, joining a team where faith and purpose intersect every day. If you know someone who may be a good fit, we’d be grateful if you would share our job openings with them. Thank you for helping us connect mission-aligned people with meaningful work in our community!

GIVE THE GIFT OF HOPE!

Support Esperanza Health Center by giving the gift of high-quality physical, social, emotional, and spiritual care to our patients, programming at our community wellness center, The CORE, and more! Your generous gift will enable us to provide a wide range of integrated services for our patients and others in our North Philadelphia communities, without regard for insurance status or ability to pay. Join us in extending compassionate care to those in need!

VOLUNTEER IN YOUR COMMUNITY!

Interested in volunteering? We have several volunteer opportunities to serve our neighbors this spring—please consider joining us! Currently, we have spots available for our 2026 Hub4Health Resource Fairs and Baby Goods Exchanges.

Click below to view our current volunteer openings and sign-up!

OUR MISSION

Compelled by the love of God in Christ Jesus, in cooperation with the Church and others, Esperanza Health Center is a multi-cultural ministry providing holistic healthcare to the Latino and underserved communities of Philadelphia.

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