Gama heads Adventist’s spiritual health programs

‘In a hospital is where real things are happening,’ says minister

Years ago, Gama said, he conducted due diligence on where his spiritual career should take him. He first decided that God is a loving God more than a judging God. And his early work in a hospital setting convinced him to choose that path instead of serving in a church.

‘‘In a hospital is where real things are happening,” he said.

Since 2005, Gama, an ordained minister, has been director of mission and pastoral care at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park. He will continue in that role and also serve as associate vice president of mission integration and spiritual care across the entire Adventist HealthCare system of 7,700 employees.

Adventist also includes Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Adventist Behavioral Health Services, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland, Adventist Senior Living Services, Hackettstown (N.J.) Regional Medical Center, Adventist Home Health Services, the Reginald S. Lourie Center for Children and Infants and LifeWork Strategies.

‘‘It is only a little scary to go into a big role with many elements,” said Gama, who lives in Ashton with his wife, Jussara, who is a registered nurse at the Shady Grove hospital, son Ismael Jr. and daughters Ileanna and Isabelle.

Gama will oversee Adventist HealthCare’s pastoral care services, clinical pastoral education program, direct spiritual care and parish nursing program.

‘‘Ismael has provided great leadership in the past,” said William G. Robertson, president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare, in a release. ‘‘I am confident that he will have an even greater positive impact on our organization through his expanded role as we work to accomplish our mission to demonstrate God’s care by improving the health of people and communities through a ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.”

Gama is a native of Brazil who came to the United States 23 years ago and initially worked in construction. He ‘‘was not looking to go to school” he said, but after being called to the ministry, he attended Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, where he earned a bachelor’s in theology and psychology. From 2001 to 2005, he was a pastor at Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church in Takoma Park and was a staff chaplain at the Shady Grove and Adventist Home Health.

Adventist’s pastoral services includes 15 chaplains, all trained to help patients and family members spiritually and not impose their own religious belief, Gama said. ‘‘The chaplains are available 24⁄7 for talking and praying with the family members.”

There is a non-denominational chapel that tries to meet the needs of different religions, such as a basket of prayer rugs for Muslims, he said.

Gama’s work is not limited to patients, as it extends to employees. The system includes a professional counselor from the Sligo church to provide help for employees going through divorces or other family problems. ‘‘We are always try to provide the opportunities for [pastoral services] to say, ‘We are here for you as well,’” he said.

His department also invites relatives of patients who have died at one of the Adventist hospitals to return for quarterly bereavement services.

He said he has heard people say, ‘‘I thought the hospital would drop us off just as soon as my mom or another relative died. But you continue to help with our spiritual pain.”

In his new role, Gama plans to extend relationships at Washington Adventist Hospital with about 50 clergy of different faiths to the other hospitals in the system. The clergy are given privileges in the hospital, including hospital identification badges and valet parking. He also wants to continue community services such as providing flu vaccine shots to people in about 60 area churches for a minimum cost and a sliding scale for low-income people.

With his added duties, Gama is not sure he can spend much time on two of his three hobbies: golf and tennis. However, his love of breeding koi fish in his home pond may be easier to stay up with, he said.