Rev’d Amarildo Serafim, an Online Theology student at the London School of Theology, shares his reflections and key learnings from his practical placement:
My placement at Basildon Hospital with the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust was one of the most formative experiences of my theological training at LST.
Serving as a chaplain on wards where patients were recovering from cardiac arrest and major heart surgery taught me the profound value of compassionate presence.
In moments of fear, grief, and uncertainty, I learned that a chaplain’s ministry is often expressed not through many words, but through attentive listening, dignity, and genuine care.
This placement deepened my spiritual life and shaped my pastoral identity. It challenged me to depend on the Holy Spirit in every encounter, to navigate multi-faith needs with sensitivity, and to stand alongside patients, families, and staff with humility. One moment that particularly marked me involved supporting a patient in deep emotional distress and potential self-harm—an encounter that showed how chaplaincy can be both spiritually and literally lifesaving.
The placement also opened a significant new door in my vocational journey. The experience I gained at Basildon Hospital directly contributed to my appointment as Port Chaplain at Tilbury Port with QVSR, where I visit ships every day and support seafarers from around the world through pastoral care, spiritual support, emotional encouragement, and practical assistance. The confidence, skills, and pastoral sensitivity developed in the NHS have become foundational to my daily ministry among seafarers—many of whom face isolation, loneliness, long contracts, and heavy emotional burdens.
This work is critically important. Last year alone, the maritime environment lost around 400 seafarers to suicide worldwide. As a Port Chaplain, part of my calling is to help prevent and reduce these tragedies by providing a consistent presence, early emotional support, crisis intervention when necessary, and a safe space for seafarers to speak openly about their struggles.
