Power & Authority

A year ago, I was called to see a client at the CCS unit (Community Crisis Stabilization). It was in the afternoon when I was instructed by my supervisor to have a mental health evaluation with a client who did not speak English.

When I arrived at the unit, a nurse who was in her late 40s accompanied me to this client's room. The door was closed, so the nurse knocked and pushed this door. The client was laying down flat on her stomach on the floor. She saw both of us, and she stood quickly and tried to confront the nurse. I grabbed one of the nurse's arms and closed the door quickly as soon as I noticed the client being a little bit agitated and trying to come at us.

I went to the nurse's office and she started telling me that this client hadn't eaten anything at all since this morning. The client refused to take her medications. She didn't speak English, but the Unit Manager tried to communicate with her through the interpreter line. The client was unresponsive and preferred to lay down on the floor. The nurse reported that the client was sent from Leominster UMass Memorial Hospital to our facility after she was found by police shouting and singing loudly on one of the streets in Fitchburg. 

Five minutes after speaking with the nurse and saying a short prayer, I went back into the client's room. I pushed the door open and then called the client by her first name. She stood up quickly and came to me, probably ready to attack me (not quite sure). Instead of using my CPI training skills and going toward the door which was widely open behind me, I decided to face her directly and confront her.

I looked her directly in the eyes and firmly said: "You know what? I am the child of God. I'm sorry for you, but you have to leave. Since I am here, you can't  stay." Immediately, both the client's arms started shaking as I instructed her to follow me. When she arrived at the assessment room, she wanted to sit down on the floor. I said to her firmly: "Sit down on this chair." Slowly, the client sat on the chair while avoiding normal eye contact with me. 

I began my evaluation by asking her: "Did you and/or your parents ever serve evil spirits?" Client replied: "Yes. How do you know?" I told her: "I can feel it." For the rest of the time, the client was calm during the assessment. She provided me with the contact number for one of her sisters, living in Florida. I called her sister, who was very nice, polite, and willing to disclose some info about the family. We ended the assessment soon after, but the memory of the interaction remains with me.

My interaction with this Haitian client reminds me of the way God grants us authority and power, through the name of Jesus to overcome, resist, and cast out demons. (Romans 8:31; Mark 16: 15-18, Colossians 1: 13).

• Submitted by EN