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University of Nairobi *
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MISC
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Communications
Date
Nov 24, 2024
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docx
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8
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VERBATIM RECORD
OF MINISTRY ENCOUNTER
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
Course
Instructor’s Name
Date
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An 87-year-old gentleman named Mr. Charles and a church member struck up a conversation. Imagine this scene: Mr. Charles is in a hospital ward, explicitly stating that he has never been religious because he does not talk much about faith or spiritual matters. Simultaneously, Mr. Charles describes how strange the relationship is between him and his wife, as it appears the grandson assumed the position of a surrogate husband following their dispute. The only people who visit him are his niece and nephew.
The visit was prompted by a direction from the niece, who expressed her belief that he might be experiencing a spiritual awakening. The setting was neutral, which encouraged candid discussion on religious themes, but I did not get the impression that he was very willing to delve deeper into the subject.
Exchange
Verbatim Record of Conversation
Awareness of Self
Ch1
Hey Charles, how are you doing today?
I hope the greeting is in a polished manner to help establish a personal connection.
P1
No good. No good at all.
He appears to be tired
Ch2
What needs to be corrected? (I take a seat beside him on his bed.)
Feeling sorry for him
P2
This. I have no appetite (pointing to his plate). No flavor. I am limited in how He appears to start opening up now
3
much I can drink. However, I do not even come out with that. (long sigh). Hey, I take it
you are the chaplain?
Ch3
Yes, you did want to see me, according to Caren.
Politely
P3
Yes, indeed! The Pastor! I require that! (maintaining intense eye contact)
I found myself feeling connected to him, knowing he
indeed requested for me
Ch4
Excellent, then! In what way may I assist you? Regarding when you wished to see me,
Sincerely
P4
I am not sure (sighs again). Simply put, I am exhausted now. I am also unable to eat. (Down looks)
I found myself pitting him, even remembering a time when I was ill and lost my appetite for quite some time.
Ch5
Well, but are you okay with drinking? (I have switched from pastoral to diagnostic mode.)
Silent moment
P5
I drink milk occasionally, but only sometimes. (He attempts
to take a large, rapid drink of the milk and chokes a little He is opening up a little bit and willing to share the negatives, too.
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bit.) See?
Ch6
It seems like you are trying too hard, too soon. Try to move more slowly. (It seems possible that his problem stems from his tendency to work too hard; if so, he experiences depression.)
Observing him
P6
Okay
obedient
Ch7
I have heard that you were brought home by your niece and nephew. How did you find it?
I am looking to make him tell
me more about himself
P7
It was all right; at least I could see what was outside. They claim I am not allowed to live there alone, which is disappointing because I was hoping to return. My grandkids do not want to stay there, but I thought they could, and then I could speak in part of it. My wife does not
He is actually tired of this place
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want me to rent it, so I cannot
even do that.
Ch8
How is your spouse doing?
Silent moment
P8
She is also at home. She also never comes to see me. My grandson does not, either. My
niece and nephew are the only people that get to see me. (long silence).
listening
Ch9
Although it is very unfortunate, I am happy that your niece and nephew are here. That demonstrates their genuine concern for you. Moreover, if you believe it would be helpful, I will see you as well.
I would like to know of my potential role in providing support.
P9
I amstill determininge. Next Monday, I will be 90 years old. We will see whether I can make it to the following week.
He is open-minded and might
be ready to explore different possibilities.
Ch10
What else can I do to help you? (I use this to gauge his willingly
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receptivity to prayer.)
P10
Not really, however.
He seems exhausted already
Ch11
All right. This week, you will
be in my prayers. I hope you feel better soon.
Sincerely
P11
I am grateful. Many thanks.
I am thankful
Reflections
a.
Process Assessment
Dynamic and Flow: Since he had specifically requested a chaplain, I went into the appointment, anticipating it to be more of a formal "pastoral" visit. In P3, I also confirmed this. Considering his wish to pass away, I assumed he would question God and faith, maybe even disclose his fear of dying, ask questions about God, and want to accept Christ, but I was not sure.
Communication Tools:
The primary instruments were empathetic observation and open-minded inquiry. However, he had no intention of talking about religion when I opened the door.
b.
Self-Assessment
Pastoral Role: My role involved listening actively and creating a supportive space for Mr. Charles’s lack of faith and complicated relationship with his family. This coincides with my values of respect for diverse beliefs.
Skills Assessment: I used good listening skills and sympathetic observation to foster a deeper comprehension. Regarding my authority, I find it difficult to approach people to make decisions, so when I needed to figure out what was going on, I found myself shifting from a pastoral to a more diagnostic one.
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Use of Self: It was important to express cultural awareness and respect limits because developing and observing a relationship is far more advantageous in this circumstance.
c.
Spiritual Assessment and Care Plan:
Assessment of Spiritual Resources and Needs: I briefly wondered why Mr. Charles felt the need for a chaplain after hearing his hesitation. It dawned on me that all he needed was a pastoral presence in his life and that he probably did not even know what questions to ask.
Cultural Dynamics:
His family is not very involved in his life, which is all the information I know about them. I am still determining what he clings to. His current goal is to reach out to people and attempt to mend relationships in the little time he believes he has left. That is demonstrated by your eagerness to get in
touch with me.
Spiritual Care Plan:
Creating policies for the hospital environment that honor Mr. Charles's faith. I had visited him, and that was a crucial first step. He feels supported by my trust, which is demonstrated by the fact that he sought me out.
d.
Theological Reflection:
Discussion of Theological Issues: I wonder if he will acknowledge me as an evangelist of some kind. Considering that his condition was terminal and that he needed to understand Christ, I might have gone in with the intention of bearing testimony to him. However, I chose the route that felt most natural.
Meaning of the Encounter:
Though I am not sure what his religious beliefs are, I
do know that at that time, he needed more of me in his life. He might be
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experiencing a great degree of humiliation and guilt over the incident in the past that led to his committal. I am hoping that by being kind to him, he will be more willing to forgive himself and let go of the guilt that drives him to want to end his life.
To sum up, the interaction gave me a better understanding of Mr. Charles's spiritual life and family. During this session, the patient shared a great deal of loss, which he appeared to find difficult to express. I decided against probing deeper because he was not willing to do so.