Browsing by Author "Ward, Edwina Deborah."
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Item A marriage enrichment programme : a study of the proposed contribution of a modern pastoral care and counselling model to urbanised Xhosa communities with special reference to the congregants at Umtata Methodist Church, Eastern Cape.(2000) Sigaba, Avis Lumka.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.This study was done to explore how modern Pastoral Care and Counselling models could be in dialogue with some valuable Xhosa traditional practices in the urbanised context around Umtata in the Eastern Cape. The intention is to provide a marriage enrichment programme to the congregants of the Methodist Church in this region. This has been offered in response to increase in the rate of divorce, separation and emotional distress experienced by many couples in the area. Chapter one offers the methodological framework for the entire theoretical and practical study. The second chapter explores various concepts of the family systems theory with particular focus on Murray Bowen's systems theory. This should bring forth a clear understanding of behavioural patterns which manifest in marriage when the system loses equilibrium. Grounded in the family systems theory is the concept of normal family processes. The third chapter looks into the understanding of normal family processes as brought across by various American authors. The chapter takes the interpretation further by looking into normal family processes in the original Xhosa cultural communities. The reason for the exercise is to bring awareness about what is normal before one can address what is abnormal. This is for widening the horizons so that what is culturally normal should not be labelled as abnormal. The fourth chapter prepares groundwork for the establishment of intervention and counselling strategies specifically within the Xhosa communities around Umtata. This chapter is field work done through interviews so as to gain an awareness about what the people of this region presently think, feel and say about marriage and family life experiences. The fifth chapter looks into the minister's uniqueness in marriage enrichment in comparison with his or her colleagues in medical, social work and family therapy or psychotherapy fields. A theological exploration is dealt with in the sixth chapter with a view to contend with biblical principles applicable to marriage. Chapter seven discusses a training model for a lay team of twelve members to promote the concept of the priesthood of all believers. The views of authors like Switzer, Clinebell, Colilns, Herbert Otto and others are consulted and opened to dialogue with Xhosa Traditional practices offered by oral sources. Chapter eight focuses on premarital education. Within this eduGative counselling, a hand-out on marriage contracts is prepared in both English and the vernacular language. Interdisciplinary work has been included through the engagement of resource personnel from the medical, financial and legal fields. Chapter nine actually presents the Marriage Enrichment Programme in a workshop form. Within the programme, theoretical and practical work is done in contextual bible study, communication and conflict resolution exercises as well as conscietisation about valuable Xhosa traditional marriage practices. The contextual model on marriage enrichment is offered to a group of forty-four congregants. The evaluation forms provide a positive result of this marriage enrichment model. The results express a need to address marital problems in our communities. This does give support to the Hypothesis that was tested. Modern pastoral care and counselling models can be adapted to traditional context with positive results. Lay involvement promotes maximum participation of the People of God in care giving. However, further results will be achieved with more workshops or retreats. More effectiveness will also come with the training of more lay teams. This demands large sampling in lay training, more interviewing and more involvement of the rural community elders for more information on traditional practices.Item A survey of the distribution of temperament types amongst ministers in the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa as measured by the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II.(1999) Stevenson, Neill Strangford.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.Differences in psychological attitudes, functions, types and temperaments have been shown to have significant effects on the functioning of Christian ministers and their congregations. Knowledge of the distribution of these differences could facilitate more specifically targeted education, training and development programmes for ministers. In Post Academic Training programmes for ministers of the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA), the assumption is made that the distribution of attitudes, functions, types and temperaments among ministers of the PCSA is similar to that among clergy from various denominations in the USA and Presbyterian ministers in the USA. These results differed from the distribution of the general population represented by those tested on the World-Wide-Web. In order to investigate this assumption, a survey was conducted of the 310 ministers and licensed probationers of the PCSA in South Africa using the Keirsey Temperaments Sorter 11. There were 90 responses giving a response rate of 28.9%. As expected, the distribution of psychological attitudes, functions, types and temperaments among ministers of PCSA was different from the general population. Contrary to expectations, it was also significantly different from clergy from various denominations in the USA and Presbyterian ministers in the USA. The most notable difference was with the Sensing-Judging (SJ) temperament, which was preferred almost twice as much by PCSA ministers (58%) than either of the other clergy groups (34% and 29%). The temperament next most strongly preferred by PCSA ministers was Intuitive-Feeling (NF), although at 33% the distribution was similar to the other clergy groups (41 % and 44%). The implications of these, and other, findings for ministers, congregations and the education, training and development of ministers is discussed in detail.Item An effective model of pastoral care and counselling ministry in multi- congregational parishes : identifying the existing ineffectiveness of pastoral care and counselling ministry and establishing possible remedies for the ministry in Anglican multi-congregational parishes : with special focus on the Anglican Diocese of Natal.(1998) Njenga, L. K.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.Item Assessment of the needs of the young adults group in the Lutheran Church, Hayfields, Pietermaritzburg : a growth group solution.(2006) Brunke, Karen Monika.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.This dissertation aims to explore the needs of the Young Adults Group in the Lutheran Church, Hayfields, Pieterrnaritzburg. Focus groups were conducted with young adults to establish their needs. During the three months of data collection, group dynamics were also observed, and at the focus groups, specific focus group dynamics were detected. The focus group interactions were recorded and transcribed. Using thematic analysis, the transcribed data was encoded using existing codes based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and analysed. Twelve themes of needs emerged from the data. These were: i) physiological needs; ii) safety needs; iii) the need for acceptance and love and the absence of judgement; iv) the need to be understood - by others and the church; v) the need to be valued and appreciated; vi) the need to have fun; vii) the need for nature; viii) the need to delay life's pace and prioritise; ix) the need to grow spiritually - as individuals and as church; x) the need for a spiritual outlet and expression of one's spirituality; xi) the need to be used by God for a specific purpose; xii) the need for assurance from God. Using these needs, a framework for a programme was developed. All the guidelines and exercises suggested in the programme aim to promote growth - spiritual, emotional, and personaJ - and focus on fulfilling the individual's potential within the group.Item Breaking the silence surrounding rape : with special reference to the pastoral care and counselling among the Damara people living in Khorixas.(2002) Guriras, Pauline.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.Many women today, irrespective of their colour, race, age or religion, are being raped and some brutally killed by their rapists. The rape crisis increases daily and that shows that women are not even safe in their homes because they live in fear of their lives everyday. In this research paper I will try to examine the issues surrounding rape that contribute to the increasing of this crisis of the women living in Khorixas. There are sociological, economic, psychological and cultural issues that contribute to the rape crisis. The social issues that contribute to the rape of women contributed to the fact that most men abuse alcohol, some of the men are unemployed, and most of the people live in poverty. The economic condition of women is weaker than that of men. Most are unemployed and those who are working are domestic workers who earn a salary wage below the poverty line, and are, therefore, economically dependent on their husbands and boyfriends. Some of the men who live in Khorixas experience psychological problems such as hatred, desolation, loneliness and aggression. These psychological problems contribute to the fact that the rapists can closely identify sex with violence. In most cases, men show their masculinity by raping women. In the Damara culture the man is the head of the family. The woman is a submissive wife who is to take care of the children. Traditional women are unable to attack the power of the customs, therefore, the men keep them in an inferior and subordinate position. That is why the women are not speaking out against the rape that is committed. The purpose of my research is to try and address this rape crisis among the Damara women living in Khorixas. The research is pastoral and it is a challenge to the ELCRN to serve the vulnerable women who are the survivors of rape. The church can launch awareness programmes and also educate its members in moral sexual behaviour. Through pastoral care and counselling the pastor can assist the rape survivor to regain her dignity. Furthermore, the pastor can use the ABCD method of counselling to build up a relationship of trust between him or her and the rape survivor so that the survivor can feel comfortable in telling her story or the experiences of her rape. A further purpose of this research paper is to advise women to seek help and to speak out against rape and not to be silent on this issue. The central focus of this study lies in chapters four, five and six. Chapter four explores what the church can do about the crisis and the responsibility of ELCRN towards its members with regards to the moral sexual behaviour of members. Chapter five discusses the prevention necessary and the precaution any methods women need and the necessity of rape survivors understanding rape as a crime and reporting it to the police. Chapter six explores and validates the use of the ABCD method of crisis counselling by the counsellor to support the rape survivor in coping with the crisis.Item Clinical pastoral education for Igbo society : a cross cultural model for a family/community-based educational process in pastoral care.(2005) Ozodi, Christopher Chinedu.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.CPE is Western in origin, it can be transplanted and adapted to the Igbo soil and be fedb with the local nutrients. In the view of the researcher, this can bring about a new CPE model which is called the "Family/Community-Based CPE Model." The above mentioned model puts the family and community at the center of the CPE program. The CPE center will be located in a community-based setting that will enable the CPE students to visit different families and experience community life and to learn how the people respond to different events in their lives. The students can also visit ceremonies that give meaning to the people's lives such as marriage, naming, funerals and other events through which the people express their communal life. Inter-professional collaboration can take place between the CPE center and different professionals, as well as the local practitioners. All these experiences will form part of the verbatim reports and reflections during the program. The already existing actionreflection- action model of CPE will be remodeled to be theory-observation-action-reflection. It is this CPE model that the researcher proposes for the Igbo society.Item Contextual family therapy and counselling for marriage and family life among the traditional Gumuz and the Gumuz Christians of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (The EECMY)(1996) Gobana, James.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.The Gumuz society in Ethiopia has been neglected and almost forgotten by the previous rulers of Ethiopia. It is not surprising therefore to see that the majority of the population of Ethiopia have no knowledge about the Gumuz society. This society was not exposed to education until the arrival of the missionaries at the end of 1950's. When Christianity was introduced, the Church did not do enough in helping Christians to distinguish between the Gumuz traditional and the Christian marriage practices, the former which denies some male members of the community the possibility of getting married. Marriage is contracted by exchanging girls. Thus, unless a man has a sister to exchange he is not going to get married. There is an assumption that a man may get a girl from one of his extended families, but that is not always possible. He may or may not get a girl. Therefore the man will end up without getting married. The introduction of Christianity made it possible for every member of the Gumuz people to get married by allowing them to marry from the neighbouring tribes. However, it introduced another side effect. Christians were not able to differentiate between the Gumuz traditional and Christian marriage practices. This dissertation studies the traditional and the Christian marriage practices of the Gumuz society and of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (the EECMY). According to the Gumuz society, marriage is believed to be (Okka) God given. To get married is to obey okka, to accept what God has given, and to have as many children as possible in order to increase the population of the Gumuz tribe. Failure to get married is a crime against traditional beliefs and practices. Furthermore, this dissertation provides the way the Gumuz society understands divorce. Among the Gumuz society divorce does not concern only one family. Both family members and extended families are affected. Since marriage is performed as indicated earlier on by exchanging girls, if a person divorces his wife he has to expect that his sister will divorce her husband which will disturb the whole extended family relationships. Realizing the risk, every married persons in the Gumuz society is conscious about divorce. This attitude brings the rate of divorce to a low level. This dissertation sees the need for counselling and appeals for a therapeutic approach by putting emphasis on contextual family therapy, a therapeutic process which is constructed with maximal concern for its relevance to the cultural context in which it occurs. For example, the problems related to exchanging girls, marriage between the Gumuz and the neighbouring tribes, the issue of divorce, and so forth, are not problems which can be discussed only with individuals or a family member, it needs the inclusion of extended families as well as multigenerational processes. This therapeutic process is capable of providing a contextual approach by looking at the system of the family. I recommend the therapists to have a grounding in the general principle of family life and to get familiar with the way families operate as a social system. The dissertation hopes to create awareness among therapists with basic theories of family systems which enable them to get knowledge of a causes for dysfunctional behaviour within the families, and to equip them with therapeutic skill. This is paramount.Item Counselling Basotho women who are caring for their families, in the absence of their husbands.(1999) Lebesa, Theresa M.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.Lesotho, like any other country in the world, has suffered economic problems that saw many Basotho able-bodied males migrating to the Republic of South Africa, in search of employment since the nineteen century. The mass exodus of men to become migrant workers left a vacuum of responsibilities at home, which women and men used to share. This imposition of men's responsibility on women has become a burden which they were never prepared for, and for that reason, many women find it impossible to cope with this double burden in the absence of their husbands. Besides creating disharmony in the family, it has also caused gender clashes between women and their husbands who will not let go their role of headship ofthe household. Rather than let their wives take over full responsibility ofthe household, in their absence, husbands feel threatened and try to be in charge of the household through 'remote control', while in the mines. Because many men refuse to affirm women in their new responsibility, results in a big crisis for women, who feel that their husbands do not respect and trust them. The purpose of my research, therefore, is to try and address women's crisis through counselling. Because many of these women are members of the church, I feel the church faces the biggest challenge to alleviate the women's crisis through counselling. It is my hope, then, that women in turn, will avail themselves of counselling finding it a good tool to deal with their crisis.Item Cultural practices among the Sena in Nsanje District Malawi : HIV and AIDS and the African Evangelical Church.(2009) Chibambo, Lucy Thokozile.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.This study focuses on the cultural practices that contribute to the increase of HIV and AIDS in Nsanje district of Malawi. The study also proves the hypothesis that the African Evangelical Church has not responded effectively to the cultural practices that influence the spread of HIV. As a result, this has led to the high prevalence rate of HIV in the Nsanje district. Data was collected using content analysis. The findings of this research are that people of Nsanje district have maintained their cultural practices within the context of HIV and AIDS. The key cultural practices that have been maintained are widow cleansing, widow inheritance, bonus wife, fisi (hyena) custom, polygamy and bzyade. The study has also found that sexual intercourse is used in most rituals as a tool for purification. It is a great challenge for church and the community to modify or stop these cultural practices because some of the people in Nsanje district claim that these cultural practices have been practiced since the existence of their forefathers in Nsanje district. The study has also found that there are multiple sexual partners involved in the sexual rituals which increase high risk of the spread of HIV. Therefore, the study recommends that the community together with the church should take a stand in responding to the cultural practices in an attempt to combat the spread of HIV.Item Divorce and remarriage among the Shambala Christians : the pastoral response of the church; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, north eastern Diocese, southern district.(2004) Shemsanga, Eberhard Ngugi.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.This dissertation critically reflects the problem of divorce and remarriage within the North Eastern diocese of the Lutheran Church in Tanzania. A problem which has become rampant in the whole church. The situation became apparent to me as I was ministering in different parishes in the area of the research for five years. Divorcees are not accorded the full membership in the church because of their divorce status.Their failed marriages and criticism from church members makes them feel out of place in their own churches. They feel desperate, tending towards a sense of personal failure. The Shambala traditional customs whereby divorcees and/or remarried people are looked upon as outcasts make things even worse. Divorcees, makomanyumba 1., have no place in the Shambala Christian community. The goal of this dissertation therefore is to address divorcees' crisis through counselling. Many of these people are members of the church. I feel the church needs to face the biggest challenge to alleviate divorcees' crisis through counselling. I believe sincere pastoral care and counselling within the Lutheran Church in Tanzania will bring about healing, support, reconciliation and restoration of the hurt and deprived people, in this sense, the divorcees. Estardt (1997) believes that pastoral support is one of the services that persons committed to the church have the right to expect. He sees pastoral counselling as a relationship in which the minister assists the client in dealing with the difficulties, frustrations and tragedies of life. It is for this sense a new model of pastoral care and counselling is suggested for whole church. The model in which pastors in parishes are not the only solitary sources of counselling. The new model suggests that both trained and untrained laity is a good source for pastoral care and counselling. If these sources are fully utilised in parishes, a minister's counselling work might well be assisted, enhanced and improved by the parishioners. Referral counselling is also suggested in the new model.1.Makomanyumba - plural, divorcees. Komanyumba- singular, a divorcee.Item Divorcees' problem : the church as a healing agent in counselling of divorcees.(1998) Mwangi, Justus Mbogo.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.The objective of this research study is to investigate the problems of the divorced Christians within the Anglican Diocese of Kirinyaga in Kenya. A selection was made of some the divorced Christians in this diocese who even after their separation and divorce remained in the Church. The divorced Christians in this study were observed to have many more problems than ordinary Christian people. Their failure to survive their marriage made them feel desperate, tending towards a sense of personal failure. It was hypothesized that divorcees experience being sidelined in the Church, thus causing them physical and psychological emotions which affect them and label them as people who are unpardonable. Jack Dominian (1979), in search of information leading to the breakdown of marriages, has observed that the Christian Churches' teaching on sexuality and marriage has been a factor contributing indirectly to the breakdown of marriages and specifically to divorce. He also confirmed that another important contributing factor is the background of the partners. With this in mind the Christian Churches will want to do everything possible to save marriages. Therefore, the Churches have to be properly prepared and equipped for undertaking the challenges involving in building a worthy marriage. At the end of this research study the emphasis on marriage counselling is appealed to as a worthy tool to guide people towards a stable marriage. The dissertation commences with chapter one as an introduction which defines the objectives, motivation and the hypothesis to be tested. The literature review is tabled and is followed by definition of the terms so as to make the reader familiar with their usage. Finally, the chapter closes with the structure of the study. Chapter two deals with the methodology, explaining the sample and the development of the tool. The survey and all procedures are explained. Chapter three is divided into three parts. Part one introduces Agikuyu marriage and divorce, part two brings a theological review of divorce problems in the scriptures and part three brings a challenge to the missionary endeavours in the Anglican Diocese of Kirinyaga. It deals with the tensions created by the efforts of the Western missionaries and the Church as they came up against the African traditional heritage. Chapter four brings out the results of the methodological work. Hypothesis analysis is done and the interpretation given. The findings are given for and against the hypothesis. Discussion of the findings is done and then a conclusion is made. Chapter five is divided into three parts. First, a few ideas arising from the findings are discussed at length.The second part is the way forward which suggests possible ways in dealing with divorcees and enhancing a stable marriage. The final part carries the concluding remarks as a summary of the research study.Item An evaluation of the ministry of the Anglican Church in Pietermaritzburg to the Aged especially in their loneliness.(1999) Laban, Gail.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.Aging is one of the normal processes in the life-cycle of a human being. It is synonymous with being alive. Yet old age for most people causes more fear than death. The greatest challenge of aging is not the threat of times on our hands, poverty or ill-health.Rather it is facing the fear of loneliness. In a sense, loneliness is a functional crisis . The aged feel that they no longer have a function in the family and in society. Within the city of Pietermaritzburg there are fifteen Retirement/Old Age Homes. In a climate of escalating crime and violence in South Africa, more and more old people for security reasons are giving up their homes and moving into these institutions. The shortage of jobs, affirmative action, the devaluing of the Rand and the high crime rate have caused many younger families to emigrate, leaving their parents and grandparents in these institutions. The shortage of nursing staff, social workers and care-givers leads to the aged spending their days and nights in their little rooms alone with no one to share in their dreams and memories. There is a need to rediscover our unique vocation as Christians within the context of an aging church whose membership is increasingly becoming older. From my experience in the Anglican church, priority seems to be given to the ministry of youth whilst the aged are marginalised. It seems that the only time the aged are visited individually is at the time of their approaching death when they are administered the Sacrament of the Last Rites. In this International Year of the Older Persons the Anglican church is challenged to re-examine and evaluate its ministry to the aged.Item A feminist crituqe [sic] of pastoral counselling : transforming pastoral counselling into a liberative practice and an agent of social transformation.(1999) Hadebe, Nontando Margaret.; Rakoczy, Susan Francis.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.Feminist critique has become a central feature in most academic disciplines and has contributed to the radical transformation of these disciplines. As a critical tool, located within the feminist movement, feminist critique has forged its own identity that is linked to a number of fundamental principles that have become its trademark. All these principles cluster around the central goal of feminism that is its commitment to the universal liberation of all women and the creation of a society free from all forms of oppression. Feminists differ in their analysis of the causes of women's oppression and the means to end such oppression. These differences however do not interfere with the central commitment of the movement. The universal feminist movement is also diverse and may in some cases appear as separate movements with no connection, but on closer examination these movements are all linked to the fundamental goal of feminism. Theology is one of the disciplines that has been transformed by feminist theologians. It boasts of scholars from every continent which bring in dynamism within theology. There is a proliferation of material from feminist scholars covering just about every aspect of Biblical studies, ethics and systematic theology. There is also a great diversity among feminist theologians which provides a critical edge to the discipline. Unfortunately, this tremendous growth in feminist theology has not translated itself into the practical fields of theology such as Pastoral Counselling, Christian Education, Pastoral Care, Homiletics etc. All these fields represent applied theology i.e. the areas where theological systems and doctrines are applied in real life situations. Ideally there should be constant interactions between these two divisions of theology i.e. the theoretical and practical studies in order to critically monitor the effects of theology in practical situations. Unfortunately, there seems to be a gap between them and this is evidenced by the lack of integration of feminist principles into these practical fields. Pastoral counselling is the focus of this dissertation and has as yet to benefit from the input of feminist theologians. Probably it is taken for granted that when theology changes so should its practice, that the transformation of theology automatically results in the transformation of its applied disciplines. This is an unrealistic expectation because these disciplines have developed into separate fields and to move from one field to another requires commitment and effort - it will not just happen! The lack of feminist input into Pastoral Counselling has been unfortunate because the knowledge base on which pastoral counselling is based on has remained unchallenged and worse still has failed to keep up with the changes that are taking place in society especially with regards to the changing roles of women. The result has been a gap between Pastoral Counselling and progressive sectors of society which are promoting the equality of women. This should not be the case because there are valuable resources from feminist theology that could equip pastoral counsellors with the knowledge required to deal with these issues. This is indeed unfortunate because not only is pastoral counselling out of step with feminist issues in society but has been found lacking in the development of appropriate counselling specifically geared to meet the needs of women especially the growing number who are victims of violence. Violence against women has become a world-wide "epidemic" which requires a response from the church. Since it is through pastoral counselling that victims of violence, encounter the "church", how the church responds to them through counselling is evidence of whether pastoral counselling is a liberative tool and an agent of social transformation.Item He descended into hell and on the third day he rose again : as a metaphor for pastoral care for a dysfunctional Igbo family, with emotional depression as their crisis.(2001) Ozodi, Christopher Chinedu.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.This dissertation is concerned with the restoration of relevance of the Church ministry into the family system, in a given cultural area. The Igbo people of Nigeria are the principal foci for the research. They have experienced difficult times which this research considers to be the source for their emotional depression. One of the greatest problems which a family can face is being in crisis. Under this condition, it is completely disorganized. Such a family cannot think constructively nor plan together as a family for ways ahead, unless they are assisted. The joy and happiness of family life is lost. This study considers emotional depression to be a crisis faced by a dysfunctional family. Despite the presence of many Churches in Igboland, more families are still facing crisis. This points to the idea that the Church is not yet responding well to the caring needs of her members. The researcher believes that if the Anglican Church in Igboland can adopt the concept of the death and resurrection of Jesus after three days, which she teaches, in her caring ministry her services to the families will be more relevant. To succeed in this, the socio-cultural background of the people must be put into consideration. The main discussion on the crisis faced by the Igbo families is in chapters four and five. Chapter two gives the social, political, religious and economic background responsible for the crisis of the Igbos within Nigeria. Chapter three deals with the family system, highlighting both the functional and dysfunctional family system. Chapter six looks into the meaning ofthe Church and pastoral care by the Church, while chapter seven considers ways and means of restoring hope to a depressed family. The researcher believes that a sincere giving of pastoral care and counselling within the Anglican Church in Igboland will bring about the healing, sustaining, reconciling and restoring of the already depressed families. This will mean resurrection of family life. There will be true reconciliation among individuals within a family and between the family and God.Item HIV/AIDS is not a threat to the Christian Indians of Northdale/Raisethorpe : is this a myth? ; with special focus on identifying the absence of pastoral care for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in this suburb.(2002) Chetty, Arumugam Perumal.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.The essential question behind this thesis is: How can we respond to the pastoral needs of Christian Indians in Northdale/Raisethorpe, with regards to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, when there is this silence among those that are infected and affected and the lack of concern from the church ? This topic desires to research the silence among the Christian Indians of Northdale/Raisethorpe to look into the possibility that it is a myth that HIV/AIDS is not a threat to the Christian Indians of Northdale/Raisethorpe. Certain aspects of this problem need to be investigated to prove the myth and to open an avenue for pastoral counselling and care. In this investigation I intend to revisit and open a new dialogue with the clergy to set up combined structures that will alleviate the suffering in the Northdale/Raisethorpe community in regards to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The interview collections and research findings support the hypothesis that it is a myth that HIV/AIDS is not a threat to Christian Indians of Northdale/Raisethorpe.Item The needs of ELCSA ministers as they cope with burnout, in their ministry to people affected by and infected with HIV and AIDS.(2006) Dlamini, Celiwe.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.Ministering in the face of HIV and AIDS has posed many challenges. The work of ministers before HIV and AIDS experienced many problems which resulted in ministry burnout. HIV and AIDS have increased the demand for ministers because of the sick, the dying and the grieving people. The increase number of funerals means that a minister conducts many funerals over the weekend and sometimes during the week. This is not the only task of the minister; there are other duties such as house visitation, administration matters, counseling, Sunday services, confirmations and teachings in the church. Furthermore, ministers are often most intensively involved with people in times of crisis and distress. This research deals with the ways ministers are coping or not coping with ministry burnout which may be a result of ministering to people suffering from HIV and those dying of AIDS. This study recognises that an understanding of the minister's problems, as well as helping them to cope, by all who are involved in the church as a vocational system is necessary in the face of HIV and AIDS. The major beneficiary of care and support to ministers will be pastoral ministry itself and the church. Interest in this study therefore stems from both academic and pastoral concerns. Academically, one would like to see the discipline of pastoral care making a scientific and academic contribution that is capable of helping ministers. As for the pastoral concern, one believes that this study and similar studies are ways by which ministry can be strengthened and supported. There is need to equip the church to observe, listen to and respond to ministers in pain more knowledgeably and sympathetically. The researcher endeavours to describe these phenomena accurately through narrative type descriptions, interviews and pastoral conversations. Furthermore, Rediger created a model for avoiding burnout called AIM, which has led to a creation of a model to cope with ministry burnout in the face of HIV and AIDS, which is AIMS: A-Awareness, 1- Impose, M-Management, S-Support. The model has been created in the face of the emotional involvement of ministers in HIV and AIDSItem An overview of the effects of burnout and stress in the lives of ministers.(2008) Ganesan, C.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.; Smit, Johannes Andries.It is a well-known fact that: a) Ministers conduct their work under enormous pressure b) They carry a burdensome workload trying to meet unrealistic expectations from their congregations and the community at large c) This also impacts negatively upon their own families who tend to suffer neglect and lack of quality time. The inevitable result is descent into a state of burnout and stress. This dissertation: 1) Analyses this predicament 2) Suggests ways of overcoming it. 3) It draws on the insights of both secular wisdom and Biblical scripture. 4) It aims to bring about healing and restoration to the beleaguered minister so that he can once again resume his life’s calling in a state of wholeness.Item Pastoral care and counselling for mothers whose children developed epilepsy and cognitive impairment : a challenge to the church.(2003) Sutherland, Adri Mariette.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.A dissertation presented on the availability of Pastoral Care and Counselling for mothers whose previously normal, healthy children, developed epilepsy and became intellectually handicapped. The dissertation covers the mothers' reaction to their children's condition, the support they did or did not receive through Pastoral Care and Counselling and the theoretical perspective on pastoral care and counselling. Finally, the dissertation offers a challenge to the Church to seek ways of forming support groups to those suffering from grief.Item Pastoral care and counselling to parishioners under church discipline : with special reference to the north western diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.(1998) Kabigumila, Simeon Kajelero.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.This study focuses on the issue of Pastoral Care and Counselling to the parishioners under Church discipline in the North Western Diocese (NWD) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). The dissertation is concerned with the understanding of Church discipline in the Old Testament, New Testament, from the Early Church up to the present day. The study focuses especially on the history and the practice of Church discipline in the North Western Diocese. The main body of this study is in chapters four and five. Chapter four discusses the danger and the blessings for a parishioner who is under Church discipline. Chapter five discusses the avenues by which to care for and counsel parishioners who are under Church discipline. It is the writer's understanding that the methodology used on how to care for and counsel parishioners under Church discipline can be applied to all parishioners in the Diocese. It is the emphasis of the researcher of this dissertation that there is inadequate care of souls due to lack of training and discipline in the Church. We need discipline in order to challenge our defense patterns of behaviour in the understanding ourselves and others and in knowing and learning to be responsible Christian people. The study calls the Church of the North Western Diocese to rethink the whole issue of how to practise Church discipline in such a way that parishioners are not judged, but comforted by caring and counselling. It is the writer's understanding that the Church has kept discipline because it maintains that God's grace is not cheap. Grace is not a licence to sin. The true aim of Church discipline is to help the sinner to restore his or her relationship 11 with Christ and the Church. To do this, parishioners under Church discipline are urged to repent of their sin and live in fellowship with God. If parishioners under Church discipline refuse to repent they have to carry the fate for their sin. There is no mercy without repentance. It is the writer's belief that the healthy practice of pastoral care and counselling in the North Western Diocese will depend upon the regaining of a balance and the interaction between healing, sustaining, guiding and reconciling models. Through this understanding, pastoral care becomes a Christian response to humanity's need. Therefore one can conclude that pastoral care and counselling can balance and heal the effect of Church discipline. Although this study focuses on the North Western Diocese (NWD), the questions and problems concerning the issue of Church discipline and the way to approach it might be similar in many Churches in Tanzania and also in Africa. Unless otherwise indicated, scriptural quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION (NRSV), copyright @ 1989 by the Division of Christians Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.Item Pastoral care for bereaved elderly women in the context of HIV and AIDS : a case study of Dzenza congregation women's guild members of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Lilongwe - Malawi.(2015) Chibambo, Lucy Thokozile.; Phiri, Isabel Apawo.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.The HIV and AIDS epidemic in Africa, specifically in Malawi, has presented itself as a threat to the care of bereaved elderly women who have lost adult children to AIDS related illnesses. While battling grief, these elderly women find themselves inevitably obliged to take care of the grandchildren left behind by their children who in most cases had been breadwinners. The main objective of this study is to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of the pastoral care for bereaved elderly women provided by the Women’s Guild of Dzenza congregationof the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. The study poses the question that: if bereaved elderly women are principal caregivers in the context of HIV and AIDS, then who is caring for them? The study draws its insights from a qualitative study based on interviews with ten bereaved elderly women and, in addition, nine Women’s Guild members, the church Minister at the time of the interviews, and five church elders. There were four men and one woman. All together they were 25 participants. The methods used for the collection of data were in-depth individual, open ended interviews and focus group meeting. The collected data was analysed by typing and coding the material according to key themes that emerged in the interviews. ‘Shepherding a Woman’s Heart’ and ‘Feminist Pastoral Care’ are the two theories that were used to analyse the existing pastoral care and the findings of the study. The findings revealed that most elderly women encounter different challenges while taking care of their ill adult children until the time of their death. The elderly women also face the challenge of bringing up their grandchildren before and after the death of the parents. Some of these challenges concern health issues and the psychological, financial, spiritual and social impacts of the loss of their children and the responsibility for their grandchildren. In order to develop an appropriate and effective approach to pastoral care, the Women’s Guild needs to take these impacts into account. On the basis of the findings of the present study, there is a need to develop a manual on pastoral care giving for the Women’s Guild, focusing on issues of health, psychological, financial, spiritual and social aspects that play a role in the context of HIV and AIDS.