Joe's Story: This Is All He Had With Him
An old knapsack.
A pair of worn leather sandals.
That was almost everything Joe* had with him when he arrived at hospital.
After a life-changing injury, Joe faced a long recovery, an uncertain future, and nowhere stable to go when he left hospital.
More than anything, he felt alone.
One day, Joe was sitting quietly in the hospital chapel.
Beside him sat the old knapsack that held almost everything he owned. His sandals rested on the floor nearby.
It was there that a hospital chaplain introduced herself and began a conversation.
That simple meeting became the beginning of something much more.
When Everything Changes
Over the following weeks, the chaplain visited Joe regularly.
At first, he was understandably cautious. Life had not always been kind to him, and trust does not come easily when you have experienced hardship.
But the chaplain kept showing up. She listened without judgment. She gave him space to talk about the challenges he had faced and the uncertainty he was living with.
She simply spent time with him.
Finding Peace Amid Uncertainty
As the weeks passed, Joe began to open up.
The hospital chapel became a place where he could pause, reflect, and find moments of peace amid everything he was facing.
One day, Joe said:
“I feel really peaceful when we talk together. I wasn't feeling that before.”
Joe's Story Is Not Unique
Every day, patients and families across Aotearoa experience moments that change everything.
News that changes the course of a life.
In these moments, people often feel overwhelmed, frightened, and alone.
While doctors and nurses care for physical needs, many people also need emotional and spiritual support. They need someone who can sit with them, listen to them, and help them navigate the challenges they face.
This is where hospital chaplains make such a difference.
Chaplains provide a compassionate, non-judgmental presence for patients and families during some of life's most difficult moments.
Without the generosity of supporters like you, many patients would face these moments alone.
* Name changed to protect identity
Here's how your gift can help chaplains continue to provide comfort, hope, and compassionate support to people like Joe.
$25 helps ensure a chaplain can be present for a patient who is feeling anxious, alone, or overwhelmed.
$50 enables chaplains to spend meaningful time listening and supporting patients facing life-changing moments.
$100 supports ongoing visits for patients navigating recovery, uncertainty, grief, or emotional distress.
$250 provides dedicated one-on-one pastoral care for several patients during critical moments over the course of a week.
SUPPORTER VOICES
“As a Staff Nurse working on a very busy medical ward, I found the services of a hospital chaplain to be absolutely essential to provide support, companionship and spiritual help at times of great vulnerability for patients and their families.”
Sue B
Our mission is to provide hospitals with Christian chaplains who offer quality holistic spiritual and pastoral care for all.
P: 0800 246 7242
PO Box 11211, Manners Street,
Wellington 6142
© 2024 ICHC All Rights Reserved. Hospital Chaplaincy Aotearoa is registered as The Interchurch Council for Hospital Chaplaincy (ICHC).
Our Charity Commission Registration Number is CC21346.