| SACH Scottish Association of Chaplains in Healthcare |
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| SACH Scottish Association of Chaplains in Healthcare |
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Page was last edited Subscribe to the Journal online SACH has a few members from
overseas, not least Margaret Denvil. She is an Australian who has
lived in the United States (because of her husband's job) for 22 years,
and came to chaplaincy through the Religious Studies route (Australian
degree), then studied with the Guild for Spiritual Guidance in NY,
(founded by Henri Nouwen, Morton Kelsey & John Jungblut) which focuses on
hearing spiritual journey across traditions, and journeys that do not
include any religious tradition. Trained in CPE at MCV Hospitals,
Virginia, with specialty in Death and Dying, AIDS counselling, and walking
with those who have terminal prognosis. Ordained as a Thomas Christian, an
American order of "itinerant radicals" with independent ministries. She
has 2 grown sons, 2 Labrador retrievers, and a cottage on Bressay,
Shetland. Margaret says “I feel we have much to learn from SACH here.”
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SACH
Soundings Page 7 All the new security measures being taken by our hospitals in the United States reminded me of one night that I was on overnight duty in one of the large Teaching hospitals in Virginia. The overnight chaplain stayed in the hospital from 4 pm until 8 am the next day, and could follow many cases that came to the ER Trauma centre through to the admission of that patient to an ICU. This night, a young man was admitted, having been shot by a shotgun, in what appeared to be part of a family feud that had gone on for generations in the countryside, two families like the "Hatfields and McCoys". As he came by med-flight, it was some time before the family came by road, and arrived in the family waiting-room - members of the shot boy's family, and, of course, the shooter's family. As the evening went on, I spent time with each family while the boy was in surgery, hearing "both sides" of this long feud at length, but it was a busy night, and I was being paged to many other areas. Suddenly, one of the men from the "shooter's" family came up to me as I was scurrying to another case, and asked if I had seen his tweed jacket. I was a little miffed that he had decided to ask me, as I was really busy, and told him to go and ask "lost property". "Oh!" he said. "I just thought you might have seen it. I'm only worried about it as there's a gun in the pocket." The next story has its funny side, but at the time, was so beautiful in
its simplicity. It was another overnight duty. The Teaching Hospital handles
most of the serious cases of cancer and heart-disease for miles around. I
was called for the death of one of the cancer patients, an elderly
African-American man who lived miles from the city Hospital. I came in, and
he had a look of great peace, and beside him was his wife, a woman of great
inner beauty who reminded me of my Aunty Rita, who was in her 90's. She had
placed a Bible in his hands, and patted it when I asked how she was, and
said he had died "well", and that he had the Book in his hands, and that she
would wait with him until her Pastor arrived. Margaret Denvil Best wishes to Kay Gilchrist who is on Adoption leave from Rachel House
from 2nd June. She writes, “I am adopting a wee boy called Christopher who
is 6 years old. Unsure as yet how long I will be on leave.” The formal launch of the Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy will
be carried out by David Lammy MP (Junior Health Minister) at the Palace of
Westminster on 25 June. |
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