Worship at the Psych Hospital

In order for Dale’s medication to be regulated, he spent his first month away from home in a psych hospital. It was hell! I couldn’t wrap my head around that fact that this nightmare was our life now. Every day I would drive across Detroit along the infamous 8 Mile Road to the east side. There I would arrive at a building that was more like a prison than a hospital. There was a guardhouse at the entrance of the parking lot. Once inside, more guards watched over the waiting room. We had to lock up our phones, purses and other personal belongings. We were then escorted by a guard to the proper floor where we signed in again and were herded into a small public visitation room. There was no privacy since we were not allowed to visit in their rooms.

One day my daughter came along for the visiting hour. She sat close to Dale and stroked his hair and quietly sang a worship song. The scene brought tears to my eyes. A few minutes passed when a voice rang out from across the room, “sing a little louder.” So she did, and her sweet voice filled the room and spilled out into the hallway. The request came from a patient whose family I had met a few times in the elevator. I knew that they were also Christians. The man came over after a few minutes. He asked if he could “pray for his buddy.” So the four of us took hands and made a circle in the waiting room. As he prayed I felt such a beautiful presence and peace fill the room. I could just feel God smiling. I opened my eyes to take in the amazing scene. Here was this man, in all his own pain and brokenness, praying and ministering to Dale. Here we were, in the most God forsaken place I had ever set foot, and yet it wasn’t. He had met us there. He fulfilled the promise that if two or more gather in his name he would be there. He had inhabited the praise of his people.

The gates and the guards could not keep out the presence of God because we brought it in with us. And so it is with you dear friends. If you are a believer, you carry his spirit. We are all called to be lights in the darkness. The very atmosphere in the room should change as we carry God’s peace in our hearts. I believe we are living in a broken world that is calling out for us to “sing a little louder.”