Author Archives: bukallifeministries

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.

November 2013 Updates… Updated

1.  Keep those in the Visayas in prayer who are in the process of weathering the Supertyphoon Yolanda. Some in this area have also had been through a major earthquake recently.

2.  Thanks to Sr. Angie in leading a dental/optical mission to Bagulin, La Union. Thanks also to Ptr. Mateo for hosting our team. Thanks for resource assistance from Aquashine and Dr. Alex Alcantara. And thanks to all of the team volunteers for the sacrifice of time and skill.

3.  BOT meeting is planned for November 15th 11am to 1:30pm. Tentative location is Cafe Will in Baguio City.

4.  Mid-November… Half unit of CPE anticipated led by Joyce Gray.

5.  Mid-January… Half unit of CPE anticipated led by Celia Munson.

6.  Mid-January… CPO will begin at PBTS led by Joyce Gray.

7.  Mid March… CPSP Annual meeting in the US. At least two expected to attend from our group. Maybe more.

8.  Late March… CPE Summer intensive (full unit) expected to start.

9. Also note: We have been asked to do crisis care in multiple locations. Please pray with us in how or if we can help in these place.

November Updates

Here are a few updates for the upcoming weeks.

1.  November 7.          Dental and Eye Mission. Bagulin, La Union.

2.  November 8-9.      Global Leadership Summit-Manila

3.  November 11-12.    Final Evals, CPE Batch 2013-4    <Celia’s Group>

3.  November 15.       Board of Trustees Annual Meeting

4.  <Mid-November>    CPE Batch 2013-5  <Joyce’s Group>

5.  January 21.                Clinical Pastoral Orientation (8 weeks) begins

6.  March 24.                  CPE Summer Intensive begins

 

Other News

A.  We will begin our monthly training mini-workshops in December.  These will be 1.5 to 2.5 hour evening workshops with focus on pastoral skills. These we anticipate will normally be held at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary.

B.  Congratulations to Becky Taylor as she assumes the role of Office Manager for our ministry office at PBTS.

C.  Looking to have a refresher training in Disaster Response Crisis Care Training in the next few months.

The Psychological Health of Missionaries—Adding to the Research

Craig Thompson's avatarClearing Customs

6903821997_e0a95ce498_nHere’s a quick question:

What percentage of returned missionaries and aid workers report psychological disorders during their time overseas or shortly after their return? What do you think? About a quarter, a third, half, two thirds, three quarters?

According to a 1997 study conducted by Debbie Lovell-Hawker of Oxford University, the answer is “about half.” More precisely, Lovell-Hawker’s findings show that among the returned missionaries and aid workers she studied,

46% reported that they had experienced a clinically diagnosed psychological disorder either while working overseas or shortly after returning to the United Kingdom.

Before I went overseas, I would have guessed much lower than half, but after I first heard this statistic referenced in a debriefing I attended, in my mind, the number began to grow much higher than 46%. Statistics have a way of doing that.

Lovell-Hawker’s research included 145 aid and development workers and missionaries from 62 organizations. Though…

View original post 1,164 more words

CPSP Farrell Symposium. October 25-26, 2013

2013 Annual Viola and William Farrell Symposium on Pastoral Care & Counseling. At Philippine Children’s Medical Center. October 25-26, Quezon City. See Flyer.

seminar 2013

Child Abuse Seminar

Celia Munson, Training Coordinator of Bukal LIfe Care, led the first half of a morning seminar at Benguet State University on Child Abuse. It was done for the Education majors at the school. The second half was led by Atty Angiwan. Approximately 170 attended. The powerpoint is in the Training Aids section of http://www.bukallife.org. Thanks to Prof. Marcy Bolona, and others of the Education department for inviting us and making us feel so welcome.BSU 1

While four of us (Celia, Bob, Alexis, and Fhey) were at this, others from our group were at the PMHA-led training on depression, held at Benguet General Hospital. A good day for learning overall.

 

New CPE Batch (2013-5) starting soon

CPE Batch 2013-4 is ongoing with 4 trainees led by Celia.

CPE Batch 2013-5 will be starting later this year. Estimated date for start will be mid-November.

If you have any questions or comments, you can replay to this post. Or you can email us at info@bukallife.org

 

Bukal LIfe Care & Counseling Center is a certified CPE training center of the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP, http://www.pastoralreport.org).