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Our mental health team are currently providing an hourly service on the first Sunday of every month (from 3-4pm) to inpatients who express an interest and are well enough to attend.
According to WHO (World Health Organization), mental health is:
"A state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community". In this positive sense, mental health is the foundation for individual well-being and the effective functioning of a community. W.H.O stresses that mental health "is not just the absence of mental disorder".
What are mental health problems?
Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious long-term conditions. The majority of people who experience mental health problems can get over them or learn to live with them, especially if they get help early on. Mental health problems affect the way you think, feel and behave. They are problems that can be diagnosed by a doctor, not personal weaknesses.
Doing our Part with the help of the Lord
From 2002 the Lord has used RRF to not only attend our local inpatient unit, but has allowed us to be instrumental in establishing a service to inpatients within the hospital setting.
A group of churches responded to the call to be involved in ministering to members of our community who have been brought under section to give them space to recover health. The hospital service manager identified the importance of reconnecting people with their faith in times of distress. Christ in his ministry proved that He had the compassion and competence to minister to people in distress or oppressed.
RRF are part of a quarterly rotation of churches who attend. We are currently providing an hourly service on the first Sunday of every month (from 3-4pm) to inpatients who express an interest and are well enough to attend. We have a consistent team of four members who make themselves available for this most valuable work.
The appreciation of those unable to attend church is often beyond words and assures us that we are indeed fulfilling Christ love as he said “I was sick and you never visited me”. In as much as we visit those whom family and friends or society may have given up on, we have visited Christ.
Again may we solicit your continual prayers for their recovery that the message of Christ through us, coupled with the prayers and praises of the saints, will see souls delivered from all forms of oppression.
Testimonies
- M…..: During our September 12 visit, we were privileged to share ministry with a few users. One of them was a young man called M……. who came into the service because he said he had heard the singing from outside and felt compelled to come. He stated that the songs made him feel that he was loved. Our theme for the service was “Love” and so we were able to share with him and the others about God’s love and plan for their lives. He was very open and expressive and shared his thoughts on the importance of giving and receiving love. He requested that we pray for him, which we did at the end of the service.
- T……: She joined us about half an hour into the service and became very involved in the service. She asked quite a few questions on the scriptures that we were reading as we shared the good Word of God. At the end of the service( and through tears of appreciation) T….. expressed her gratitude for our coming, and stated that the half hour she had spent with us had already made a difference in the way she felt. She also said that she was greatly helped by the Word and was going in search of a Bible so that she can continue to look into the Scriptures.
- J…..: is Romanian and we met him a few months ago during one of our visits. We usually prepare a ‘program of service’ with songs and scriptures to enable the users to participate. As we handed out the program, J…… took one look and declared that his favourite song “Amazing Grace” was on the sheet but that he had never known the words to it. He requested that we sang it which we did – he sang that song with such gusto – he had a big, booming voice and he put everything he had into singing. During the song, he dropped to his knees in the centre of the room and with tears streaming down his face began to give God thanks for remembering him and for sending His angels (referring to us) to strengthen him. One of the Scriptures on the program was Jeremiah 29:11 and he homed in on this and asked that we explained it word by word. Great was the presence of God in our midst. We know that he received some deliverance from the Lord during that time. He then requested prayer, and as we came to the end of the service, we all left the room singing “Amazing Grace/Praise God” with J……. leading in the song. The LORD JESUS be praised!
- G……: He has been a regular for the past few months and we have also had opportunity of having a one to one with him. During this last service we noticed a complete change in him, including appearance (as he was dressed wearing shoes and socks). G… usually sat quietly, but on this occasion he spoke, and his testimony was that he was being healed. He said that he felt healing all through his body and thanked the Lord Jesus for that. He stated that he had been repeating Scriptures to himself every day and these were not only comforting to him but he knew God was healing him.
From the street:
Our Pastor was recognised and approached in our local high street by one of the previous users of the unit. She was now released, but was greatly strengthened from the ministry during one of our visits. She expressed much gratitude and thanks to the Lord for remembering her (through us) and impressed upon the pastor the necessity of continuing these visits as they were so very needful.
In conclusion, we give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for giving us such a wonderful privilege and opportunity of working with Him in this great task of reaching those that are hurting and often forgotten.
Please continue to pray for God’s special anointing on this most worthwhile ministry.
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