For over a year, Florida Baptist Disaster Relief leaders have prayed for new opportunities to expand chaplaincy ministry into the diverse ethnic communities across the Florida Baptist Convention.

That prayer was answered in November when Disaster Relief hosted its inaugural Hispanic Chaplain Training School, an initiative leaders see as the start of a new chapter of ministry growth.

Fifty-six men and women completed the one-and-a-half-day training, preparing to serve as spiritual and emotional support in the aftermath of crises and natural disasters. The training sessions were conducted in English by chaplain leaders Dale Simmons, John Long, and David Coggins, director of Florida Baptist Disaster Relief. At the same time, Moises Bermudez provided simultaneous Spanish interpretation through a live-voice translation app, ensuring full participation for Spanish-only-speaking attendees.

Before the event, all Florida Baptist Disaster Relief chaplaincy training materials were translated into Spanish using artificial intelligence and then thoroughly reviewed and corrected by bilingual volunteers. This team effort ensured the content was accurate, clear, and accessible for future Hispanic-led trainings.

Florida Baptist Disaster Relief leaders expressed deep gratitude for God’s provision and for the partnership that made this initial training possible. Coggins highlighted the importance of building a multilingual chaplaincy team, saying, “Disaster does not differentiate between languages, peoples or cultures, so we must have volunteers who are ready to serve everyone no matter the language. Having Hispanic chaplains helps us bridge the gap that sometimes exists between Spanish-speaking communities affected by disaster and the relief available to them.”

Hispanic pastors and ministry leaders played a crucial role in supporting the event, and Disaster Relief leaders are now identifying and training Spanish-speaking instructors to lead future chaplaincy courses.

As Florida Baptists continue responding to crises across the state and beyond, adding trained Hispanic chaplains enhances FBDR’s ability to minister in people’s heart languages, offering hope, prayer, and compassionate presence when it is needed most.