Six degrees of separation...

I have a few heroes. Very few...

I enter the room of an 83 year old patient who pleasantly greets me and states he would like a visit. He quickly tells me his life story...aka...his profession and life work. "Carl" was a pharmacist, from a family of pharmacists dating back to the 1840's in Columbus, Ohio. "In fact," Carls states, "my grandfathers' first customer every morning for many years was Abraham Lincoln." "Wow, that's cool." I respond with. (As a chaplain it is NOT my job to attack patient's story, besides based on my recollection Lincoln did live in Columbus in his many runs for political office. It could have happened. Two days later carl's wife brings a copy of the Columbus newspaper with said picture in it. I was very impressed.)

This is not about Lincoln, though how can he not be any Americans' hero.

Carl was so full of life when the CEO of the hospital made a patient visit, which he does twice a week, Carl asked him for a job. "I was working until I was 80, and I can still contribute." No one in the room doubts him.

Carl asks me about my education and how I became a hospital chaplain. I give an abbreviated version.

Carl states "I know that seminary" my Uncle taught at a neighboring seminary, which he names and I know.

"I have been on that campus. It's beautiful. When did he teach there?" I ask.

"After World War II, for many years. Before that he taught Union Theological Seminary."

"I know that seminary. One of my hero's taught there."

"Who?" he asks. "Dietrich Bonehoffer. I admire his life, his writings, which I have read most of, and his stand against Hitler and the Nazi's. If I could met one person in my life he would be that person" I boldly proclaim.

"He was an amazing person." Carls says quietly.

I actually stand up and say "You met him?"

"You could say that. My family had Sunday dinner with him every Sunday night for quite a while. I was in school and he would come over with my uncle and they would talk about religion, theology, world events for hours."

My heart is racing like a school girl's seeing a movie star. "In fact, he usually came with the Neibhur brothers..."

"Richard and Reinhold Niebhur" I interrupt with.

"Yeah, that's their names. You have heard of them?"

"Yes, I have heard of them. They are some of my hero's of the faith" as I fall back in my chair.

"I can remember them pleading with Deitrich not to go back to Germany, but we knew he would."

"His writings from within a Concentration camp is some of the most powerful and rich writings of anyone other than the Scriptures. In fact, his writings on what it means "to be church" challenges everything about my experience of the American church which is so shallow and timid."

"I'll tell you something I bet you don't know?"

"Please!"

"I wonder if you knew that he, the Nierbhur's and many other in America and Europe ran an Underground Railroad for Jewish families and peoples for many years."

"No, I did not know that."

"I had a very small part of it, but honestly I didn't really do anything."

"Please tell me!"

"Well, when they would get a Jewish family on a ship to get them out of Europe I would get a brief message to pick them up in New York City and get them to Columbus. There we had a network of groups, synagogues and church's to take care of them until they integrated into the community. Honestly, I did this for several years, but it was easy compared to what they were doing in Germany."

"Every link in the chain is equally important, what an incredible life you have lived."

"Thank you so much for talking to me. I am a little tired, but please come back. I would love to talk some more."

"Peace and grace be unto you. I will."

Ten days later Carl died.

Seven days after that I recieved a card from his widow of 63 years thanking me for talking with and visiting her husband and 'sense of joy' I bought to Carl in what became his final days.

Bless you Carl...you are my hero!

One reason I love the Internet

you find articles like this one.

Posted on Sat, Jul. 29, 2006





Cuba duty gives new outlook to SLO pastor
Chris Molnar of Zion Lutheran Church gains respect for Islam and for simpler living
By Sona Patel
spatel@thetribunenews.com

Zion Lutheran pastor Chris Molnar served for 15 months as the lead chaplain at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Tribune photo by Aaron Lambert
Zion Lutheran pastor Chris Molnar served for 15 months as the lead chaplain at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

From the closet in his church office, Chris Molnar pulled out a small red prayer rug -- the same kind he saw captured enemy combatants use for their daily prayers at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Molnar, a pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in San Luis Obispo and a 20-year veteran of the California Army National Guard, spent 15 months as a senior chaplain at Guantanamo, ensuring that religious needs for U.S. soldiers and Iraqi and Afghan detainees were met.

The rug is a physical reminder of the spiritual and intellectual insights he took away from his time in Cuba.

"I know a lot more about the religion (Islam) now," he said. "It was a joy to learn about it, and I have more respect for it than I did before I left."

The base in southern Cuba serves as a detainment center for enemy combatants from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Molnar and his team of four chaplains and a Muslim adviser, who also served as an Arabic translator, provided counseling to military personnel and oversaw the religious and dietary needs of detainees, who are mainly Muslim.

Before leaving for Cuba in March 2005, the pastor completed six weeks of chaplain training in Fort Lewis, Wash., where he and other chaplains learned how to provide religious support specifically for detainees.

According to Molnar, in order to better simulate the conditions they would be working under, the Army created a mock-up of Guantanamo Bay. The base was like a Hollywood movie set, he said. Buildings mimicked the naval station while actors played the part of detainees.

"The guards were there, the staff was there and we were kind of playing on what it was like to actually be there," Molnar said. "It's not the real thing, but you have to get some concept of what you do before you get there."

Molnar also needed to learn about Islam, which he did through conversations with Muslims at Guantanamo Bay and extensive reading.

Inside Guantanamo

The base has been under fire recently because human rights organizations have accused military personnel of torturing detainees undergoing interrogation.

Molnar said he didn't observe that.

As a chaplain, he ensured detainees were provided with proper items for their daily prayer sessions, including rugs and Qurans, the Muslim holy book.

There was a call to prayer five times a day over a loudspeaker. Detainees could pray inside their cells or collectively outside.

During early-evening breezes, detainees laid rugs on the dirt. Arrows pointed in the direction of Mecca. They knelt down in their jumpsuits -- orange for the least cooperative and white for the most cooperative.

"They were not treated harshly," he said. "I was not a witness to the interrogations, and I'm sure they were not pleasant. But they (the detainees) were not tortured."

Adjusting to his old life

Three months after his return, Molnar is still adjusting to life back home.

He's moving back into his office, humbled by the simple life he witnessed in Cuba.

Americans need to live in another country, he said, to gain perspective of what life is like elsewhere.

Being apart from his family was the most difficult thing for Molnar, who is almost certain he will be called to active duty again.

Members of his congregation were inspired by his absence to plan a luau upon his return. The event will be held in mid-August at the church and will honor recent veterans, military families and active duty personnel.

"We missed Chris, but this is something he had to do," said church member Joanie Brown. "We are so proud of him."

Pushed by a friend...

So I haven't written in four months. I have cared, but not enough.

I have had to face some things about why and wasn't really in the mood.

I actually have a lot I would like to record, but we'll see what really happens.

The reasons I haven't written are several:
1. In the last two months I have had my third bout with cancer papillary thyroid carcinoma. I have gone from diagnosis, tests, surgery, recovery, new daily medicine, a T3, radioactive iodine 131 ablation treatment, which included a 24 stay in the hospital (which incidently was one more hour in the hospital than my thyroid surgery,) and just today started my new lifelong medicine, a T4 called synthroid.

I feel I have been doing ok, cancer seems like a weird friend...like being in an abusive relationship. And yes, that's not good...BFD! Deal with it.

2. A patient, who had become a friend named "Bob," died after a 'supposed' routine surgery. There is not routine surggery. I am not saying that there was anything wrong about the surgery or the team that performed it, I am saying that internally I am mad at MEDICINE in general and my profession in particular and grieving my friend's loss, specifically.

We had become friends, sent emails, played hearts online in leagues together, talked about life, dreams, family. Bob was 52. He played a mean guitar, was a total geek, brought his laptop to the hospital for every admit. We laughed and cried together. Talked about dying and living with a disease that could take one's life. I helped him write out his Last Will and Testament. He had been a grandfather for about a year and just found out he was going to be one again.

Bob had COPD, what used to called Emphysema. Had been in the hospital more times than I can number. Lost his marriage, his home, his job and ultimately his life from this disease. I miss Bob. I still have his contact info in my rolodex and computer. I have tried several times to "hit" delete on it, but can't.