I am a chaplain resident at Aurora Sinai Medical Center (ASMC), one of the four hospitals that are part of Aurora Healthcare Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin State. My ministry entails visiting the sick and their families while on admission to care for their emotional and spiritual needs. Our ministry to families also more when it involves end-of-life issues or while grieving for their lost ones. This is in consonance with Jesus clear calling to ministers to visit the sick and help the needy and “one of these little ones;” and “ye visited me” By responding to this clear call to ministers, we are reciprocating God’s image in us for caring and extending works of love to humankind. Part of this work of mercy is what a chaplain does when s/he commiserates with families in their times of grief and sorrow. Understandably, I was deeply touched when I observed that there was no functional Grief Group at ASMC while the other campuses had active groups. This project will therefore explore why there is no Grief Group at ASMC, the only campus of the conglomerate that is situated in a predominantly African American community and why it has been difficult to establish one. I hoped through research and interviews, to accomplish this objective that a Grief Group would be formed that was amenable to the African American population and their neighbors at ASMC. Evaluation was conducted by the director, supervisor, some members of staff of the Christian Pastoral Education (CPE) program, and the coordinator of Grief work at Aurora Healthcare, Milwaukee.
