ST JAMES CHURCH INVOLVEMENT IN THE HOSPITAL OUTREACH MINISTRY

By Pastor Lucy Kwok

I am Lucy Kwok, a pastoral staff of St James’ Church. In my pastoral work, I have had a great desire to reach out to the sick in hospital, to encourage patients and show love to them.Although we visit the sick in our local congregation, there are many lying in the hospitals who look forward to some one to cheer them up. In year 2000, Dr Michael Lim spoke with me regarding forming a team to join the Healthcare Christian Fellowship (HCF) and reach out to patients during Christmas. I readily accepted his proposal.I want to thank Dr Boey Mee Leng, who opened the HCF door for us, thus giving us an opportunity to minister to patients in hospitals.We started with a team of about 20 men and women and a guitarist. We practiced singing Christmas carols to patients in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). We took with us gifts for patients and sang carols to them. This led on to us participating in the Chinese New Year and Easter outreaches. We donated mandarin oranges and sang Chinese New Year melodies to the patients. During Easter we shared the joy of our risen Lord with them.

From TTSH we branched out to the National University Hospital (NUH). Our goal is for 2 bigger teams of volunteers, each led by a pastor.

What joy it is to be able to bring smiles to the old and the young patients, many of whom are sad and depressed over their sicknesses. Some of them clap along and sing with us. It is so fulfilling. Not only are patients encouraged, our team members are encouraged by the patients’ responses.

During one of our outreaches, a youth in our team, was so touched with his first hospital visit that he is now ‘sold’ out to it. At that time, the 3 regular guitarists in our team, were unavailable for the outreach. I requested for a guitarist from the youth ministry. A mother volunteered her son , Kester. Kester came along and in one of the ward units, we sang a Hokkien song entitled “Hold My Hand”. Tears rolled down from an elderly male patient. Kester was deeply touched and later shared with his mum that he will not miss out on future hospital outreaches. Kester practiced hard to perfect that song.

Recently we were assigned to the CDC in TTSH. The patients are elderly, long- staying patients, and some were waiting for placement in nursing homes. Some shared that their families have not visited them for a long time. It is a sad story, but we are glad that we can bring a little cheer into their lives by our visit. May I encourage church members to visit patients at CDC.

In one of our outreaches in TTSH, a middle aged man accepted Jesus as his Saviour. He phoned me on the day of his discharge and requested to attend church. When he arrived at our church, he asked what must he do when in church, as he has never stepped into a church before. That man was later baptized in our church.

We demonstrate our care for patients by listening, chatting and praying for them. We are so glad that we can encourage them and perhaps impart hope to some. Likewise we feel encouraged and uplifted, as God’s servants, working alongside Him to bring His love to the sick and suffering.

I want to thank HCF again for giving us the opportunity to partner with them for such outreaches. May God use HCF greatly to advance the Kingdom of God. May HCF be the light of God that shines into the lives of those feeling hopeless and encourage them with the news that God cares and loves each of them.

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