Healing Presence: Chaplaincy in the Burn Center

He goes by Arnold, but his full name is Oluwamuyiwa Arnold Ogunmoyer. The meaning of his first name, “the Lord has brought this one,” foretold his calling.

Arnold is the youngest of eight, born in Nigeria after his parents experienced three consecutive infant losses. He understood the significance of his name from an early age, and it shaped his future. As he put it: “I knew my life was not meant just for me.”

Arnold’s life has been guided by a mission to help others, with the last 30 years spent in the United States pursuing a life of service. When he’s not ministering in the local church where he is a pastor, he can be found in the burn center at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, where he serves as senior staff chaplain.

There, Arnold offers spiritual care and support for burn survivors, their loved ones, and the professionals who care for them. He will tell you his work is not education, teaching, or preaching. It’s relationship. It’s listening. It’s journeying alongside individuals as they process life and navigate healing.

His passion for chaplaincy began when he studied Clinical Pastoral Education during his seminary education. This training led him through personal reflection that peeled back the layers of his own life, fostering a deep understanding of trauma, loss, and the human spirit. It was a transformative process that reinforced the crucial role spiritual care plays in true healing—a perspective he applies to his care for burn survivors.

Arnold’s work is rooted in relationship and deeply personal. Not defined by religion or denomination, he quietly guides and supports survivors, their families, and their caregivers. Through conversation and friendship, he leads individuals to identify and focus on their own inner values. From those personal values, each person develops a framework for coping and healing.

Arnold emphasizes the power of presence in the care he provides. He takes that emphasis directly into the ICU, where his first contact with a burn survivor often begins before they even wake up. He will introduce himself, sit at their bedside, keep their families company, and talk to patients while they lay in a coma.

“I believe even if they aren’t awake, on some level they know I’m there. I want to start building trust right away. I want my voice to be familiar to them, so when they wake up, they feel comfortable with me.”

The impact of his thoughtful attentiveness is clearly seen in the lives of so many he meets—like one young man, who had lost hope and purpose as he lay in the hospital, month after month. His life and dreams forever changed by his injury, he’d reached a point of utter despair. But Arnold kept coming to see him, giving him space to talk and process his experience. Over time, something began to shift inside the young man. As Arnold heard the his pain and prompted him to consider new possibilities, hope took hold in his heart.

During the course of his hospital stay, his hopelessness was replaced by purpose. Arnold watched him bloom. As the young man connected with the values that defined his life, he began sharing his experiences with others. Before he even went home, he had begun networking across digital platforms, reaching others with his story and the lessons his burn injury continues to teach him. He became an inspiration and influence for healing in others, which in turn brought healing to his own heart.

That is the power of spiritual care. It’s healing that begins on the inside and spreads outward to reach the spirits of others. It’s the essential ingredient to wholeness that Arnold helps survivors and those who care for them find.

Arnold’s role as chaplain doesn’t stop there. In addition to his consistent presence and support, he also acts as an advocate for both patients and their families. In the complex world of medical care, he often serves as a bridge between medical personnel and patients seeking additional assurance, guidance, and understanding. He joins families in attending meetings, helps them in communications with burn care professionals, and smooths their path to recovery, alleviating anxiety for all involved.

Arnold’s life and work are guided by compassion founded in deep, personal faith. That faith allows him to lean into the individual needs of each person he supports. He recognizes not everyone desires traditional chaplaincy, and he respects that by offering support without imposing religious structures.

His ministry through the years has transformed many lives. Because as unique as every survivor’s journey may be, the need for support of the whole person is universal. Chaplains like Arnold are crucial partners—along with Phoenix Society, hospitals, volunteers, and donors—in providing healing support to survivors along their lifelong journey to recovery.

Disclaimer: The stories featured on this website are personal accounts shared by individuals from the burn community. Each burn injury, recovery journey, and healing process is unique. These stories are meant to offer connection, insight, and hope but are not intended as medical advice. What worked for one person may not be appropriate for others. The perspectives shared in these stories do not necessarily represent the views of Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors. If you have medical questions or concerns, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.