Bible Society in New Zealand North Harbour representative the Rev John Bigwood (right) presents Bibles to Charge Nurse Desmae Earl (left) at North Shore Hospital in May 2006. Looking on are chaplain Michelle Shin (second left) and House Officer Olfat Hefzallah. Photo: BSNZ (NEZ06DJ-1.JPG)

Hospital patients seek answers in God’s Word

NEW ZEALAND — As well as supplying Bibles to support the work of prison chaplains (see article), the Bible Society in New Zealand collaborates with hospital chaplains. In May it donated around 50 Bibles to North Shore Hospital in Auckland. The chaplain there, Michelle Shin, knows how much comfort God’s Word can bring to hospital patients.

“The Bible plays a central role in all Christian ministry. Hospital chaplaincy is no exception. In hospital, people come face-to-face with their frailty and mortality. This prompts them to think more deeply and to question the meaning and purpose of their life. Their hunger for answers and their need for comfort can lead them to want to make some sort of connection with God. In his Word they find comfort and wisdom and come to know him as the great Creator.

“What better thing is there for somebody to think about when they are faced with illness, surgery or death than that ‘nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below – there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord’? (Romans 8:38-9.)

“This is why so many people ask for a Bible. There is great demand for Bibles, but because of our limited resources it’s difficult to be able to provide them to everybody who wants one. Many of the patients do not have their own Bible, so they are very grateful to be given one which will stay with them for comfort and encouragement in their darkest hour.

“At North Shore Hospital, each ward received a Bible from the Bible Society. We also received some large-print Bibles and some Bibles in other languages for patients who are recent immigrants. We are grateful for the ministry of the Bible Society and look forward to working together for God’s Word to be effective in people’s lives.” (WR 405/4 - 09/10.06) [1 photo]