A Day Volunteering at the Hospital

I want to share what God has been doing here lately! I go to the hospital to volunteer on Sunday afternoons now that I am back at work. I usually leave church and go to the hospital for about 4 hours then come home and eat lunch/dinner and go back to church.

Two weeks ago I ran into a couple that has been to church a few times and their little boy was very sick with a flu bug. I talked with them and prayed and left to visit others. That night at church the grandmother of the little boy came and thanked me for spending time with the family. She said they were amazed that after I left the little fellow settled down and was feeling better! I told her prayer still works!

I left the Emergency Room area and went up to the Maternity Ward. It was my first time to be there and I don’t think the nurses were used to someone from Pastoral Care coming into their area. So I chatted a little bit and a nurse asked if I wanted to go see the moms and babies. I told her that I really was a little uncomfortable just walking into their rooms so she said that she would go in every room ahead of me. I prayed for several as they requested and I left.

Then I went to the Psych’ Ward and they let me in (and they let me out too!) LOL! I talked with an elderly lady. As I was leaving the head nurse came running down the hall and said there was a family that wanted to talk to me so I went and talked with them for just a couple of minutes. The man just opened up and started telling me how his wife (the patient ) was a great lady, fantastic mom and wife. Then the 14 year old girl just jumped up crying and hugged her mom and said mommy we love you and miss you. I talked for a few more minutes then prayed and before I left I gave them a church business card so they could come visit us.

Last week I went to the Maternity Ward and the same nurse was there and she asked me questions about church and some of our mission’s trips. She knew that I was not a doctor so she asked what I did on the trips. I told her that when we went to the Philippines we baptized over 100. I asked her if she knew about the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues and she said yes! So I told her that we prayed quite a few through to the Holy Ghost as well. She kept asking questions for an hour it was just awesome!

I walked into the Psych Ward and the head nurse said it was a miracle! I said what was a miracle? She said I don’t know what you said or did but when you left here the mother was completely changed like night and day! So I explained that I talked and what all happened because I knew she needed to know for her reports. I told her that I talked a little then I prayed and God did His part! She said that the lady was so different that they released her on Monday morning! She just kept saying it was a miracle!

Pray that God will continue to open doors in this area of ministry!

My Miracle of Volunteering!

I finished my training this week! I learned a lot that I will share with you on a later post. I will be able to go into any room at the local hospital and visit all the patients and families.

One thing I learned for this type of work is that you don't need the gift of gab but you need the gift of a willing ear. LOL!! I laugh because I have one ear that doesn't work at all. The other ear works with a hearing aid. Out of 200% hearing in both ears I have maybe a total of 30 % hearing. It helps me to stay humble and depend on God.

I am sure some of the people that I have worked with over the years can remind me of some slips when I thought I heard something and it was way off. Sometimes I do it on purpse but other times it was real. So I have had quite a time trying to hear what people are saying!

My hearing specialist that fitted me with a hearing aid several years ago told me that it was amazing. He said that most of my hearing loss was in the normal voice range of people talking. He asked me what I did as far as work and I told him that I was a minister and at that time I was a school teacher at Kent Christian Academy. He was just totally amazed at what God was using me to do for the Kingdom. He explained that he was involved in church and missionary work.

Before I left the office I asked him if we could pray. My wife & I prayed with Him. I prayed that God would bless his work and keep his hand on him and his ministry. God moved and we could feel his spirit in that office. My wife and I went home and a couple of hours later he called about the office visit .

He told me that God began to talk to him after we left and that he had ordered my hearing aid. I was shocked because I didn't have the money to pay for it. Then he said that it would be in his office in two weeks. He went on to tell me that there was no fee and that he would service it for life free of charge.

I have gone in several times and had it checked and he has brought staff in from other offices to meet me. We have always had prayer before we left. They spend more time talking about God and the church than anything else when I go in to see them.

So when I get involved with people I listen to them the best I can. Then I depend on God to fill in the blanks that I can't hear. I feel that is one reason that God has allowed me to be so sensitive to the attitudes and spirits of people. Because I have to spend a lot of time listening to God and he lets me know these things.

So it is a miracle of God that I can even be involved with this type of volunteer work.

Thoughts for today!

I have been thinking about the last post dealing with rebellion and attitudes. I remember in one situation where I made some pretty pointed remarks to a parent regarding their young person. I was trying to help them to see where their thought process was wrong and how it would lead to more disrespect for leadership. So in the process I made some sharp remarks but in such a way as to not be offensive.

The parent looked serious then chuckled then looked serious again. Just then my wife walked up and the parent just busted out laughing and told my wife “your husband has a way with words”, “what he said was funny but very true”. I had addressed the sticky problem with God’s help and corrected it and kept a parent who is still a friend today! Maybe if we that are in leadership would spend more time connecting with people then when something like this comes up we can let God speak through us. I think Sis. Vesta Mangun preached it years ago; you have to win people to you then to Christ. We need to take time with them on a more casual basis.

I am not talking about running around with them all the time, but go eat with them every once in awhile to let them know you really care about them. Then when a problem arises you can quickly deal with it because of the established trust and rapport that you have built. The problem today is that we are all caught up with being “politically correct” instead we need to be “kingdom minded”. If you don't guide them and correct them don't worry someone will lead them, astray! If they are youth, then realize you are training the leaders of tomorrow and God sent you to them to train correctly.

So when you see a problem don't run from it. God has allowed you to see the problem because he wants you to deal with it for the Kingdom's sake!! Don't raise up a crippled church, do your best that's all God asks! In the end the person will come back and thank you. I know from experience of over 30 years in helping the throw away youth to overcome what life has dealt to them! It is worth it!! Enough for now I'll move on!

I went Monday to training for volunteer work in a local hospital. I applied on a whim last month. I thought I go so much to visit church people and their friends, what if I signed up so I could minister to others in need? They were more than happy to have me come aboard and help. I go next Monday for my Pastoral Care class and my second TB test then I will be certified to minister anywhere in the hospital.

I know that I can go pretty much where I want to now with my minister license but this new tag will let them know that I am going by their basic standards as well. Plus it puts me on call in case there is a disaster in the community. I will be one of the ones called to help the family deal with crisis, “That I might win some” as the Apostle Paul said.

It is part of what I have been thinking as I go into this year. What in the world am I doing for Christ’s sake? Not what I am doing at church with various schedules, services etc…, but what I am doing in the world?