Monthly Archives: November 2013

Updates from Disaster Response Teams, Nov 28, 2013

Right now, there is only one team on mission. It is the Iloklan Team. The Iloklan team was in Kalibo helping out there, debriefing and providing relief goods, including galvanized iron for roofs of two churches. Then 16 hours of bus and fanboat to Baliguian Island where they did debriefing, rural assessment, art therapy. They were also able to provide 20 sacks of rice and other goods for the residents there. Have left the island and are back to more hours on the bus. Heading to Caticlan and then back to Kalibo.

The Ormoc Team got back to Baguio as are members of Bukal who joined the CPSP-PI team. The Ormoc team worked, not surprisingly, in Ormoc, but also in Tacloban. The CPSP-PI team worked mostly in Manila, but also had two members assist in Tacloban.

The Cebu Team had its planning meeting. The 10 member team will be leaving for Cebu Monday and Tuesday and be there about a week. Specific ministry points are being worked out.

Thanks to all of the volunteers and donors who have made this possible.

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Updates from Disaster Response Teams, Nov 28, 2013

Right now, there is only one team on mission. It is the Iloklan Team. The Iloklan team was in Kalibo helping out there, debriefing and providing relief goods, including galvanized iron for roofs of two churches. Then 16 hours of bus and fanboat to Baliguian Island where they did debriefing, rural assessment, art therapy. They were also able to provide 20 sacks of rice and other goods for the residents there. Have left the island and are back to more hours on the bus. Heading to Caticlan and then back to Kalibo.

The Ormoc Team got back to Baguio as are members of Bukal who joined the CPSP-PI team. The Ormoc team worked, not surprisingly, in Ormoc, but also in Tacloban. The CPSP-PI team worked mostly in Manila, but also had two members assist in Tacloban.

The Cebu Team had its planning meeting. The 10 member team will be leaving for Cebu Monday and Tuesday and be there about a week. Specific ministry points are being worked out.

Thanks to all of the volunteers and donors who have made this possible.

Disaster Team Transitions

The Ormoc City team just got back yesterday (Nov 24) from their busy trip doing things ranging from carpentry to counseling. This team was a partnership of Bukal Life Care and Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary.

The CPSP team to Tacloban just got back to Manila. Other members of the team were ministering with refugees in Villamor Airbase, and training dozens of ministers/volunteers in crisis care. While this is not a team we have direct oversight or support of, two of our staff and two additional CPE trainees joined this group.

The Iloklan team left this morning (Nov 25). It is a partnerhip of Bukal Life Care and Asia Vision-STM. They are working in two communities: Numancia, Aklan and Concepcion, Iloilo. They will be doing crisis care, as well as providing relief supplies.

Our Cebu team is ramping up for its Dec 2nd departure for approximately 1 week. The 10-member team will be doing crisis care with refugees in the daytime, and debriefing and training with volunteers in the evening.

Volunteer Guide for Disaster Response Counselors in the Philippines

<div style=”margin-bottom:5px”> <strong> <a href=”https://www.slideshare.net/bmunson3/disaster-response-volunteer-guide&#8221; title=”Disaster Response Volunteer Guide” target=”_blank”>Disaster Response Volunteer Guide</a> </strong> from <strong><a href=”http://www.slideshare.net/bmunson3&#8243; target=”_blank”>Bob Munson</a></strong> </div>

Relief Team Guidance: Ventilation or Retraumatization??

With the Disaster Response here in the Philippines, we have had to revisit an issue that has been with us since 2009. The issue is whether having a victim in a disaster relive the events is a freeing, ventilating event, or a retraumatization of the event. We use the NOVA method. One of the steps is Ventilation/Validation. In that, the counselor invites the individual or group to go through to describe their experience. There are other methods (CISM/CISD, PFA, OSFA) and this issue is an area where they diverge commonly.

Obviously, we are on a mission of healing so we don’t wish to further harm. There are people out there that are more experienced in this delicate issue. But talking to some and reviewing some literature leads us to recommend a middle road. Methods typically require some level of review of the events they have been through. This seems to be necessary. It is hard to imagine how to listen and respond effectively to the individual or group while avoiding the events that they have gone through. We interpret our lives in terms of stories. Inviting individuals to process experiences into narration seems to be a useful thing… something that has to happen at some point. Additionally, in group the common themes of shared experiences has the potential of healing. However, storytelling as an interpretive event, and act of ventilation, may be hurt by methods that seek to return to and relive the events that traumatized once. Understanding and interpreting can be good, but not reliving it.

Therefore, we are adding the following guidance.

  • While using the NOVA (National Organization of Victim Assistance) we will seek story ventilation, but not seek recollection and sharing of specific sights, sounds, smells, etc.
  • Similarly, for children, art therapy will still be used to allow them to share their own interpretation of events, but without seeking to share detailed sensory memories.

We would welcome further thoughts and insights in this matter.

Updates. Typhoon Yolanda

We have been working together with some other groups including Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary, Asia Vision-STM, and CPSP-Philippines. The relationship in each of these is different. However, we are blessed to have so many people dedicated to help in any way they can.

1.  Ormoc (#1) Mission. This is a group led by Dr. Nori Lacquian from PBTS with a number of students from the seminary. This includes Alexis on our staff, and we provided training for crisis care with them. We expect to do debriefing with them when they get back. They are doing clean-up, carpentry, and more people-oriented ministry.

2.  Villamor Mission. CPSP-PI, led by Joyce (one of our staff) and Tootsie, are doing crisis counseling with refuges from Tacloban who are at the Villamor Air base. Becky, also part of our staff, has joined this effort.

3.  Panay Mission. On November 25, a team of Bukal Life and individual members of AV-STM are planning working at two sites on Panay, one in Aklan and one in Iloilo. This will be led by Anjie, a founding member of Bukal, and Lea from who is part of AV-STM.

4.  Ormoc (#2) Mission. The exact destination is yet to be determined. However, the plan is to do a crisis care mission to in or near Ormoc. It iwll be led by Celia and Jehny of Bukal. The expected day of departure is December 2.

We are thankful for the dedication of these individuals and groups to seek to help those in need.

Some Questions on Disaster Response at Bukal Life Care

Question #1: We’ve been getting questions about helping in response to Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. We don’t normally solicit help so this is a bit new to us. But we certainly appreciate all who care about those suffering due to the devastation in the Visayas and Southern Luzon. If you feel led to help, Jehny Pedazo is the one who takes care of acknowledgement receipts. She can be contacted at our number 0933-302-0373. You can also contact us at info@bukallife.org if you have any questions or concerns.

Question #2: We have also been asked about Medical Missions in response to the disaster of Typhoon Yolanda. We did do medical missions in response to Typhoon Pepeng and Tropical Storm Ondoy. But not this time. We have decided to focus on crisis care chaplaincy (and teams), materials, and training. We will leave medical response to the many fine groups that specialize in that type of ministry.

Question #3: What about other organizations doing relief work in the Philippines? There are many good groups working over here. We have worked with the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) and so know they are a great and reliable group. World Vision is another group that does good work here. There are many others. Research. Don’t just give to the group that makes the most noise.

Disaster Response. Updates

Thanks to those who have given to support crisis care counseling with the disaster from Typhoon Yolanda. We won’t list them all at once, so we will list two today. Thanks for the generous support from ‘Virginia Baptist Mission Board” Disaster Relief, and “La Trinidad Community of Believers.” Because of this we have been able to train volunteers and support response teams.

The first team, led by Dr. Nori Lacquian, with a member of the Bukal Life Team, and several students at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary, are on station in Ormoc City. Other teams are in Tacloban or soon to depart.

Last week we trained 25 in crisis response. This week, we had another training with NOVA crisis care, and Art Therapy, with emphasis on crisis response for children. More trainings are coming.

CPSP-Philippines is putting together several teams, especially working with refugees from Tacloban. Some members of Bukal Life Care are involved with that work. Bukal Life Care is a training center of CPSP-PI (and in fact was the first certified training center of the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy in the Philippines).

Several others trained in our CPE program (for example, Fr. German) are part of other groups serving in the Visayas. We are thankful to find those trained having the opportunity.

Disaster 2

Disaster 1_

Prepping to Go

Three members of our chaplaincy team are expecting to travel with a Disaster Recovery Team to Leyte.  This will probably be the first of many trips. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Also, please remember those in Zamboanga struggling in relocation centers because of the violence there, and those still reeling from the earthquake in Bohol. There are many needs but also many opportunities to serve and help.

 

 

Disaster Response: Phase #1

Basic Disaster Response Crisis Care training will be held at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary on Wednesday Nov 13 and Thursday Nov 14, from 6pm – 8pm. The training will be led by Bukal Life Care. We are focusing on those who will be traveling to the Visayas for relief work in the next few days, but others are welcome to join.

Crisis Care with focus on Children will be held during the week of Nov 18, also at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary. This training will also be led by Bukal Life Care. Exact times to be determined. Again, focus is on DR team preparing to leave, but others are welcome.

Please keep those in the typhoon destruction zone in your prayers. But also remember the relief workers who voluntarily place themselves in a difficult position. Two or three members of our team at Bukal Life Care are joining the trip… and more will most likely join subsequent trips.