Data collection through the one-on-one interview

I have already indicated above, that there are various types of data collection methods. I need to add here that after pondering over and over again through the research problem, the research objectives, the interview schedule and the sample frame, I finally chose the one-on-one interview method. Schaeffer insights are important here (2004: 369-377). This method had three main advantages over and against the other methods at my disposal.

Firstly, it was the best method that can enable me to get to the root of the research problem. Secondly and more importantly, this method provides some answers to the research questions and thus to a deeper understanding of the experience that motivated the research. This leads eventually to the improvement to that experience that necessitated the research in the first place. The aim of the one-on-one interview thus was to get a grip of the congregants’ and clergy’s feelings, attitudes, opinions and experiences concerning the emerging healing ministry in the congregation including the practice of anointing and exorcism in such healing services. Thirdly, such a method also enables the researcher to realise some of the objectives of this project and further motivated the researcher to carry out further research (Swinton & Mowat 2006:55-56, Frey & Oishi 1995:1-6) after the completion of this present one.

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I used one pre-prepared questionnaire comprising 11 (eleven) questions for the laity and 5 (five) for the clergy throughout each interview. These questions were ‘simple and modest’ and were asked in a similar style that was consistent to all the participants starting with the first question and ending with the last question as written on my questionnaire’ sheet. During the entire interview period, I also explored what we call in professional counselling, ‘active listening and keen observations,’ which enabled me not only to take down written text, but also to understand through the participants’ body actions and movements (gestures and postures) some of the feelings and emotions of some of their life experiences as they responded to the questions. In most cases I read each (4-11) question twice and slowly for a better understanding of the question.

The interviewee’s response (yes or no) to question 4 was the determining factor to proceed with the interview or to terminate it at question 5. All the 20 (laity) interviewees answered YES to question 4, which enabled me to continue with the interview. None of the 20 participants terminated the interview at any stage; all the participants answered all the 11 questions and some probe up questions. Some of the probe up questions came through observations of the respondent’s voice and tone, facial expressions, body movement among others while others came to further get a grip of the respondent’s feelings, attitude and better understanding of their responses. All the 20 participants were interviewed individually and were interviewed in the English language.

Six (one female and five males) clergy also participated in the research project, two are presently ministering in the congregation and were interviewed at Musang; four who had ministered in the congregation, were interviewed in their offices at their present parishes of work at the time of the interview. On the agreed date of the interview, the interviewee and I started with some general conversations as already said above and followed by the signing off the respondent permission form then proceeding to the actual research questions (1-5). All the clergy answered all the 5 questions. There were several probes up questions from the researcher to better get the theological and practical experiences of the clergy.

I am very aware that ‘the telling of their stories,’ the accurate recordings of these told-stories and the eventual transcriptions, formed the heart of this research. No change is therefore given for errors. With such an understanding, I coded all the questions in my personal note book and developed a type of shorthand writing during the entire interview in order to take as much

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information as possible and to be as accurate as possible with the daily written information. In some cases I pleaded with the participants to speak slowly or to repeat themselves so that I could copy word verbatim, that is, taken down all their words, phrases and sentences in particular responses. I need to say here that more than half of the written document per participant, was word verbatim. In this way, I was able to write down as much original information as possible. All their responses are written down in my ‘note books.’ Before I went to bed each day, I developed the shorthand writings of that day of each participant into a clear written document or transcript and each participant had a file containing all their responses including notes of their various visual observations during the entire interview period and on the various probe up questions.

3.2.3.1 General observations

There was really a high degree of cooperation between the researcher and the participants. Three probe up questions that were consistent to all the 26 participants had to do with the causes of illnesses, the impact of traditional healing and healers and their understanding of the words health, sickness and healing. I need to make this point here that additional topics or chapters are added from the ones presented with the research proposal in order to do justice to the research results and the research objectives. I needed to say more about the research by first assigning some meaning to the findings of the laity and then we will move to that of the clergy. By doing this, we are partly analysing and interpreting the written documents of the interview. And the best method is by using a narrative research.