Thrive magazine Spring/Summer 2017

thrive-magazine.ca
thrive / 17
GRIEF by Eric Lanthier
The presence of a chaplain proves to be
vital for someone who is in distress. But
when a chaplain lives through a crisis,
life takes a whole different turn. On
April 6, 2013, I learned that a former coworker
had died. I was overwhelmed to
learn that after such a short time, the disease
had prevailed. I did not know that
only 90 minutes later I was going to live
a greater trial by finding my lifeless wife.
Imagine, someone who comforts and
generates hope daily discovers that his
wife has taken her life in their own
home. But I give glory to God, who
sustained me through this terrible
ordeal. The prayers of my brothers and
sisters in Christ, the involvement of
churches, the support of my family, my
pastor, and a Christian therapist helped
me to find my way back to life. Today,
I understand much more deeply what
mourning, solitude, celibacy, inner pain,
and human suffering mean. Moreover,
the Lord, in His goodness, knew not only
how to lift me from this ordeal, but also
to fill me as I had never imagined. He
gave me back a wife, a woman of quality.
What grace, for I never imagined that I
could have loved again. I began to preach
again and, in addition, the Lord is using
me to minister to non-Christians by providing
them with pastoral services as a
chaplain. All I can say is, “Glory to God!”
In view of the greatness of His goodness,
I can only celebrate the grace bestowed
upon me by my
Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ.
— Eric is a
Fellowship
Chaplain working
in the area
of media.
HOPE by Serge Caron
L’Ancre was founded in 2007 in response to the pressing needs of men fresh from
prison. For isolated men who have spent years in prison, L’Ancre volunteers are often
the only unpaid people that take an interest in them.
The mandate of the thirty volunteers working at L’Ancre is to encourage, support, and
facilitate the integration of detainees and former prisoners into a community of faith.
Volunteers work periodically at the penitentiary chapel, sharing the Word of God with
detainees. They also offer a weekly presence in transition houses, where their role is
to instigate reflection and the evaluation of past choices in the lives of those who have
been recently released. Perhaps it is time for them to consider the spiritual path, to seek
in God a path that will succeed.
For L’Ancre volunteers, the detainee and the ex-prisoner remain
“our neighbors”, regardless of their choice to follow Christ or not.
Our services are not conditional on a commitment of faith, but
they do often associate chaplaincy with the unconditional love of
God.
— Serge is a Fellowship Chaplain serving in the area of
Corrections.