26 October 2020
Something special in Murgon
Posted in Chaplaincy
Your support for school chaplaincy means hundreds of school communities across Queensland can access vital social, emotional and spiritual support.
For Brendan, a teacher in Chappy Deb’s regional school community of Murgon, this spiritual support came in quite an unexpected way.
Brendan had been experiencing severe leg pain for some time, and had been advised he’d likely require surgery for it. When Chappy Deb saw him walking to his car on the way to a doctor’s appointment one day, she felt a prompting to ask if she could pray for him.
He agreed. Chappy Deb then knelt in the gravel and said a simple prayer. She was filled with joy by what happened next.
“It was not until after the MRI that I started thinking that my knee didn’t appear to be giving me as much grief. Throughout the weekend, I forgot I had any problems with my knee, and when I returned to school the following Monday I was no longer limping or in need of a walking stick,” says Brendan.
“Many teachers asked where my walking stick had gone – and when I told them about my knee being prayed for, many gave a look of disbelief.”
When Brendan saw his knee specialist a few months later, he was told he didn’t need an operation after all.
“When I told the specialist that the chaplain had prayed over my knee, he was genuinely surprised,” says Brendan.
Thanks to your generous support, students, families and even school staff have a caring, non-judgemental and supportive person in their schools – and Brendan is very thankful for that.
“I believe it is vitally important that we have chaplains in our school. Both staff and students benefit greatly from having a person who is in a pastoral and well-being role,” says Brendan.
“Chappy Deb is a caring and supportive person in the school, often doing unnoticed acts of kindness to support our staff and students.”
Chappy Deb is passionate about her work as a chaplain, and is deeply aware of its spiritual side.
“Chaplains offer something unique to school communities through spiritual support. One thing I love doing is committing each day to God, and I find that always helps lead and guide me through the tough situations,” says Chappy Deb.
“I was gobsmacked when Brendan came up and told me his specialist was going to hold off on the surgery. That was so encouraging!”
You can help ensure our school communities continue to be blessed socially, emotionally and spiritually through school chaplaincy. Visit suqld.org.au/donate.
