MENTAL HOSPITAL AND PRISON WORK.

White Ribbon, Volume 36, Issue 427, 18 February 1931, Page 10

MENTAL HOSPITAL AND PRISON WORK.

Dear Friends, It Is nearly two years since I wrote to the "White Ribbon, *’ giving a brief account of the work being done at the Mental Hospital and the Prison by Mrs. G. Wakelin, Evangelistic Superintendent of the Ponsonby Branch of the W.C.T.U. Mrs. Wakelin’s aims are to bring joy and cheer to the patients, to help them to a deeper realization of the great love of God, to benefit them, mentally and spiritually, to re-unite broken families, and to interest the general public in a section of the community, for whom the majority have little sympathy because they have little knowledge. It is my purpose to show r instances w r here these aims have been accomplished, and to tell something of the methods employed.

On altera; le Saturday afternoons Mrs. Wakelin, often accompanied by a Christian friend, meets a number of patients in a quiet room, which the Imrd has provided in answer to prayer. As the roll is called, each member of the circle recites a verse of Scripture. The members then take part in singing, piayer, Biblereading and personal testimony. Thus is provided ample scope for self-expression. The leader or her friend then gives a short, interesting, spiritual address. This happy little circle lias grown from four to thirtysix in number, and still more are seeking admission.

By gaining the co-operation of others, Mrs. Wakelin is able to give some of the patients rn oc« asional day’s outing, ar.d the opportunity of attending a Church service outside the Institution. We, who have been w'ith her on these occasions, who have met the patients in the morning, dull and uncommunicative, and have wmtched them drive away in the afternoon happy and talkative, realize just what the day has meant to them. The Hon. Stallworthy, Minister of Health, has kindly promised to lend twm cars, one Sunday, for this work, and has also promised to have a chat with our Superintendent about the Mental w'ork In general, before next session. Also, a well-known business man in the city has promised to continue, for a third year, to pay for a taxi one Sunday a

month; and a member of the Salvation Army lends his car and gives his time, also once a month, for this purpose. Baptist car-owmers gave fourteen patients the pleasure of attending the Old Folks’ Gathering at the Baptist Tabernacle. Mrs. Wakelin has other valuable helpers in the work, to w r hom she is particularly grateful. One, a hardworking woman, has been deeply touched, and has come to the lord because of the kindness show n to her son and others in the Mental Hospital. She nelps the work with financial support, which, humanly speaking, she can ill-afford. (Divinely speaking, nothing is too much to afford for the Lord’s service). She and one or two others also render great help by the kind and friendly spirit they show” to the patients during their Sunday outings. Another helper is a dear, delicate little Christian wdio, at a great sacrifice, accompai.ies the Superintendent, on Saturday afternoons, to give a spiritual message.

Sometimes parents have noticed that a stranger is taking a keener interest in their afflicted children than they themselves have taken, and have come to realize a deeper sense of love and raeponsibil ty.

One girl had been in the Mental Hospital for six years. Mrs. Wakelin found her a home, wdiere she improved rapidly. Imagine the joy of the mother (an old "White Ribboner." by the way) when her girl was able 10 return to her for a time. Mrs. Wakelin is now negotiating w’ith the Defence Department in New Zealand and a Minister in England, in an endeavour to restore to his mother in the Old Cou: try, a patient w’ho, since the w r ar, has suffered from loss of memory. The mother’s letters are full of yearning to see her son again.

By attending the patients’ Annual Picnics, their Xmas Tree Party and their Sunday afternoon Church Services, our Superintendent has gained a deeper knowledge and understanding of hose wiiom she seeks to help. She has been invited to sj>eak at various meetings, and has already spoken at the Mothers’ Club and the Birkenhead Branch of the W.C.T.U. In this way, she is able to set before the public some idea of the need and nature of her w T ork.

The sick (in body) at the Hospital and the costly Home receive much practical love and sympathy from fine Christian men and women. But many Christians, because they fear the supernatural, are afraid to visit the sick in mind. As Mrs. Wakelin says, the mentally-mck are just as precious to the Master as the physic-ally-sick, and surely God will help and protect those who work in this corner of His Vineyard. Again, 1 ask for the prayers and practical help of the readers, remembering always that, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Praise the Lord for what He has already enabled us to do in His Name. I remain, Yours in His service, A PRAYER PARTNER.