| At about 11:30 PM, I was wrapping up a late-night Chaplain shift in the Emergency Room. I belong in the Emergency Room. I seem to fit there where some nights I do a lot of what I call Gurney Ministry. We get 90-100 ambulances a day with about 300 other people coming through the ER Waiting Room. As the EMTs bring people in, still strapped to the Gurney, the patient must at times wait there in the hallway before an ER cubical becomes available. In many cases, nurses and doctors begin treatment while the patient is still on the Gurney.As is possible, I talk calmly to the person while they are waiting on the Gurney - all of them are tramatized to a point - some more than others. Many request prayer and it is an honor to be there for them.I had walked back to the office to do some final paperwork before going home, when someone began knocking on the Office Of Spiritual Care door.When I opened the door, a frantic young couple exclaimed, Chaplain, can we speak to you a moment?Of course you can, I replied.They had rushed to the ER because their 8-month old baby girl had a fever of 104. They had checked in at the ER desk but the Waiting Room was packed and they were far down line to being served. Ambulances are given priority and some severe cases had backed up the entire process.Can you help us get quicker service because we're worried about our baby?Take me to where your baby is located, I instructed.At the far end of the hallway that comes out of the ER, the baby's Grandmother was holding her. Eight or 10 young adult friends of the child's parents, were standing there too. I glanced down the hallway into the ER and as is often the case, it was overflowing into the hallway, every seat taken and some people sitting on the floor along the walls - all waiting to hear their name called.Every God-called minister and lay person reading this, has had similar situations...a time when they felt God spoke to them.I believe the Lord spoke to me and said, Lay your hand on this baby and pray now. Turning to the child's Father and Mother, I asked, Can I have your permissiion to pray for your baby?Please do, they responded. In a hospital setting, when I first meet someone, I seldom know what faith they are or if they have a church backgound or not. So, I never pray unless they ask me to (most do), but there are situations like this one with the baby, when I ask permission to pray. The little girl had her eyes open but she was not moving. Tears were flowing down the Grandmother's face. From her years of raising children, she knew the child was in trouble.What is your baby's name? I asked. They told me.The baby was laying on the Grandmother's chest. One of the young adults had found an empty wheelchair so the Grandmother could sit down. Kneeling down to the child's level, I spoke to her - softly spoke her name and shared that her Mom and Dad had said I could pray for her. I shared that I was going to gently lay my hand on her head and pray. Her eyes looked into mine but there was no other bodily movement.I placed my hand on the baby's head. It was feverishly hot. I began to pray, Lord, You have done many miracles and we are in need of one right here in this hallway. I pray in your mighty Name that You will lower this fever and heal (her name). As I was praying, the young adults in the group gathered closely around. I heard one of them whisper to another, I have heard of this kind of thing before but I have never seen it until now.When I finished praying, I went to speak to the ER Charge Nurse to see if we could get the baby in as soon as possible. I was gone for about five minutes and returned to tell them that their baby would be brought from the Waiting Room into ER in about 15 minutes.But the little girl was sitting up in her Grandmother's lap. She was looking around. I placed my hand on her head and it was only warm like any child who is not sick.All of the young adults were watching. I said, It feels like the fever has broken, but I'm not a doctor, so when her name is called by the staff, go on in and get her checked out.There is a phrase for this, I stated.What's that? one asked.Praise the Lord, I said.They all nodded and several said, Praise the Lord.It had been a long and fulfilling day of ministry so I went back to the office, picked up my things and headed home. As I turned the corner going toward the South Entrance which is the other way from the ER, four of the young adults had walked that direction too. There is a water fountain there.As I approached, one of the girls said, Chaplain, can I give you a hug?Sure can, I said. But all of them reached out and at around midnight there in the hospital hallway, we had a group hug. As I turned to go, one of the young men said, There is a phrase for this.I stopped, turned around and said, What?Praise the Lord, he said. As I walked out of the hospital that night, my heart was full of emotion. I was glowing spiritually on the inside. There is nothing like the presence of the Lord and being present where people are hurting. Want to see miracles? They almost always happen to people in trouble and to those who are hurting.**Not everyone I pray for is healed. I wish I did, but I do not have what is known as a healing ministry. I have a ministry of presence and sometimes, the Lord uses me to pray for people. As the opportunity is available, I seek to be present with those who are hurting regardless their faith or the lack thereof.Since I am an action-oriented person, it took some time for me to grasp the Ministry of Presence. But presence is not just hanging out. It has purpose and shows how we value the one who is hurting.For me, it has brought into bright focus a familiar Scripture, Psalm 46:1:God is our refuge and strength, |