Margery Link
Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Chaplain

Margery Link is the pastoral care coordinator and head chaplain at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. She provides spiritual and emotional support to patients and their families, and to the hospital staff. On call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Margery and her staff minister to people in times of crisis. She also conducts prayer meetings for the hospital staff. Her ministry provides comfort to those who suffer, and she is privileged every year to see many patients and their family members turn to Christ.

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November 2010 Update

Dear Family and Friends,

Every day is a day for us to be thankful. I'm even more grateful during this autumn season to have our hearts turned toward a time with the special emphaisis on Thanksgiving.

If you will, allow me to reflect on a few things:

• I remember with gratitude the way the Lord has brought so many caring people into my life to walk this journey with me so that we might touch the people who are suffering and hopeless.

• Your prayers have made a tremendous impact on many lives, including my own.

• Your donations, many of which are sacrificaial, have helped to make it possible to continue to minister to these people and have been a real source of encouragement.

• My heart is filled with gratitude for the opportunity to work with hospital staff, physicians, and administrators, many times minitering to them. It is a blessing to serve the Lord along with our local clergy.

I've been aware lately of the old saying, "It's not the amount of time, but the quality of the time." A few moments of letting these precious patients and their families know someone is there to comfort, encourage, care, give words of hope in the Lord, and pray is the greatest blessing that many of them will recieve. Thank the Lord for this open door.

As I was leaving on day, a sweet Christian nurse told me that she was placing an aorder for me to see a 64-year-old lady who was being told that evening that she had cancer. It would be important of me to see her the next day to comfort her, as that was one of many challenges this woman was facing.

The next day she was very receptive to my visit. She began by asking if God causes crises in peole's lives or whether they just happen randomly. The story that followed was very painful to even hear, let alone for her to have gone through. Her daugher had passed away four years prior due to complications from diabetes, leaving three children, now 15, 16, and 17 years old. After their mom had died, they had to live with their father, who was a drug addict. Their home environment was very dangerous, so this woman did all she could to keep them as safe as possible. She continually prayed that the Lord would show her a way to get custody, keep them safe, and meet their needs. After a a year, their father was killed in an auto accident. She then took the children into her home to raise them. She had just received guardianship papers for them a few days ago, and now she was being told that she had leukemia. She said that she couldn't get sick because her grandchildren needed her and she had to take care of them. She told of how her other daughter is on drugs and her son had spent years in prison for drugs, though now he'd be become a Christian.  She said that this didn't mean a thing to her because of his attitude toward the family. Apparently, in her opinion, he has taken a path of self-righteousness and looks down on everyone in the family, not offereing any assistance or comfort, but only judgment.

I asked her where she was in her spiritual journey. She said that she is a praying woman. Upon further conversation with her, it seemed that she had never been told about having a personal relationship with Jesus. She said that this was all new to her. She had the head knowldedge, but not the relationship with Jesus. She was so hungry to hear and learn of the truth, and she was ready to embrace Jesus in her heart. her decision gave her hope and the assurance that she was not alone. The relationship with Jesus would make it possible to face this crisis in her life and give her strength and wisdom to care for her grandchildren. I only saw her two more times before she was released from the hospital. She was so peaceful and confident knowing that Jesus was partnering with her and would be there for her no matter what happened. Please pray for this grandmother and her grandchildren, that the Lord will not only touch her but comfort and meet all of their needs. Once again, your partnership makes in possible to minister to these people in their times of crisis.

We all need to be encouraged in these challenging days, keeping praise and thanksgiving on our lips and holding onto His promises. I would like to leave you with a few of His precious promises:

"I will strengthen you" Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
"I will give you peace" Leviticus 26:6 (TLB)
"I will comfort you" Isaiah 66:13 (TLB)
"I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
"I will listen to you" Jeremiah 29:12 (NIV)
"I will be with you" Genesis 31:3 (NIV)
"I will carry you" Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)

May you and your family be blessed in a special way this Thanksgiving.

Giving thanks,
Chaplain Margery Link

Donations designated for my support should be sent to:
Healthcare Chaplains' Ministry Association, Inc.
377 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 260
Placentia, CA  92870
Account #332

Please pray for the following:

• Comfort, peace, and strength for those who are terminally ill and also for their families.

• Patients, families, and staff to turn to the Lord in these challenging days.

• Healing for those who are brokenhearted and infirm in our hospitals.

• Wisdom for the hospital Administration and Board of Directors in these times of tremendous difficulties with health care issues.

• Increase in qualified assistance.

• More poeple to pray daily for this ministry in the ever-increasing spiritual battle we face.

• Financial provison to meet all our needs in this time of eceonomic challenge.

• Prayer for healing, strenght, and protection for Nancy.

• For myself - strength, encouragement, daily direction to be led to those that need my help the most, protection, and good health.