Where faith shapes care

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LINDSAY MAST, HOST: Coming next on The WORLD And Everything in it: Standing firm!

In 2006, the state of New York got its first faith-based, federally certified, nonprofit health center. Health care, backed by the government, grounded with a Christian worldview.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: I recently spent an afternoon with the two doctors who founded Beacon Christian Community Health Center. We talked about healing and hope in an ever changing political environment.

Doctors David and Janet Kim dreamed of opening a Christian, community health center in Staten Island, where Dr. David was born and raised.

DR. DAVID KIM: Because everyone thinks of New York City and they think, "oh yeah, Manhattan, the Bronx, Brookly, Queens." But nobody even remembers that Staten Island is a part of New York City.

And in the early 2000s, even fewer had ever heard of faith-based community health care.

DR. DAVID KIM: I get a phone call, the call is from a fairly high up guy in the Department of Health. "You know, it says here that you’re a faith-based health center. What does that mean? Do you do exorcisms? Do you pour holy water on people?"

Dr. Kim explained the center’s mission: to honor God by caring for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the community. Then, he had to have the same conversation with the uninsured families he wanted to serve.

DR. DAVID KIM: "You’re not just coming here to take money from the community and run off somewhere else?" And so it took some months, actually a couple years to actually gain the community’s trust.

Beacon Christian Community Health Center was finally up and running. President George W. Bush had just established the White House Faith-Based and Community Initiative. The Kims applied for funding through the new program, but their application was initially rejected. They applied again, but this time during the Obama administration.

DR. DAVID KIM: So, I like to say I thank president Bush for getting me in the door and I thank President Obama for giving us the money. But I think this also speaks to the fact that as Christians, if we’re going to be able to function, we need to be able to find that common ground.

The Kim’s have been reaching across the aisle ever since.

DR. JANET KIM: We came to learn we had to know how to speak with our local elected officials. We had to learn who represents us in City Council? Who is our state officials? And then learning about the federal level. I think that was one part of the job we didn’t really realize we would have to get very heavily involved with.

But the hard work has paid off.

DR.DAVID KIM: This one was a proclamation in honor of National Health Center week…

Several city and state proclamations line the walls of Beacon.

MYRNA BROWN: Who was the mayor then?

DR. DAVID KIM: That was Bill DeBlasio

But what happens when ideologies clash? The last six months have brought big changes to New York’s medical landscape.

KATHY HOCHUL: And I realize we’re not talking about ending life early or about ending dying early…

December 17, 2025. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announces plans to make medically assisted suicide legal.

[cheering]

January 1, 2026…

SWEARING IN: I, Zohran… Mamadani.. do solemnly swear…

…Democratic Socialist, Zohran Mamdani is inaugurated mayor of New York City.

Friday June 12th… New York City Hall:

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: Happy Pride everyone! [applause]

…Mayor Mamdani unveils a massive healthcare initiative…

MAMDANI: As a first step, my administration has made a $15 million dollar investment in gender affirming care over the next two years.

Dr. David says these and other issues keep him up at night.

DR. DAVID KIM: Janet watches me staying up at night with these things. Certainly the national transgender discussion has been one of those times that we’ve kind of looked at and said "God you need to help us figure out a way through this." But because of our ability, through the grace of God, to sit and talk with people, we’ve been able to get through a lot of those situations without really having to compromise anything.

And now that medically assisted suicide is legal in the state of New York, Dr. Kim says some of his patients are curious.

DR. DAVID KIM: I’ve been asked by some patients if, if, if it made sense. Patients who are suffering from various conditions. But again, because of our relationships with our patients, we’ve been able to kind of dig underneath the surface.

And through prayer and conversation they’ve addressed the issue from a biblical perspective. The Kims say those who disagree with their methods can’t argue with the outcomes.

MYRNA BROWN: So what are we doing now?

DR. DAVID KIM: We’re going to walk over to the other building…

Just two blocks from their original site, Beacon’s second location opened in 2014.

DR. DAVID KIM: The other site where we were before does mostly adult medicine, GYN and optometry. This site does most of our pediatrics as well as our nutrition, our mental health is in this location, as well our future dental suite, which is actually at the far end over there.

They estimate they serve more than 5,000 different patients a year. Moms like Damaris Barrios.

DAMARIS BARRIOS: For a doctor to take the time to say, "You know what, let’s pray over you. Let’s pray over your situation. Let’s pray over your children."

The 50-year-old breast cancer survivor is not only a patient, she serves on Beacon’s board of directors.

DAMARIS BARRIOS: I’m basically praying over Beacon everyday. Every chance I get.

After twenty years of ministry in a state that’s seen so much change, the Kims are convinced; the prayers of the righteous are availing much.

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