prayers and processions - a hospital chaplain

Another from the Prayers and Processions series:

Jeff Klein's eyes open slightly, and he whispers that it's okay to come in.

Strings of lights wave across a monitor - a record of his heartbeat - and lines of oxygen thread through his nose to aid his breathing. His wife Kathy rests against his bed rails to the left, and her downward gaze is filled with concern.

The Rev. Jill Kundtz gently smiles at both, steps up to the right and gathers her hand. Their arms drape over him like a curtain. Kundtz is the hospital chaplain for Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. “I want to make sure that patients have support, whether it be physical support, emotional support or spiritual support,” said Kundtz. “Essentially I journey with my patients.”

Kundtz is a Christian, but she supports anyone, regardless of their faith. “We don't put God in a box.”

Klein, 52, who was admitted earlier due to chest pains, is grateful for her prayers.

“You feel like God is all around you, it's almost like you're immersed in his presence,” said the Great Bridge resident. “You feel like God is next to you, you feel his touch.”