Spiritual Wellness Training

April 15, 2023 the Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA) Cordillera Chapter held its seventh Family Support Group (FSG) session. In the spirit of the season of Lent, the theme of the FSG session focused on “spiritual wellness”. Mr. Fritz Gerald M. Melodi attended the session as resource speaker and spoke on “Shame, Vulnerability, and the Psalms”. The presentation centered on how vulnerability, as taught by the Psalmists, contains potential to mend the controlling power of shame. After the presentation, attendees shared their experiences and reflection on the presentation. The theme of spiritual wellness is part of PMHA’s thrust of holistic care for mental health. The session was attended by educators, mental health practitioners, and family members of individuals with mental health concerns. PMHA holds monthly FSG sessions mainly for psychosocial support of individuals who provide care for family members with mental health challenges.

Crisis Care Training

The Para sa Bata/Kabataan Project is a partner of ours in Baguio and is holding a training in Crisis Care Training April 28-29. This is being organized by one of our CPE trainees and pray it will be a valuable activity for all participants. The Venue is still to be determined (at the time of this posting).

CPE Training

Our Summer Intensive CPE, with 9 trainees, and 3 supervisors-in-training is in full swing. It will finish in early June. Late June we hope to start a half unit intensive unit of CPE in Baguio. If you have any questions, contact us at bukallife@gmail.com.

Other News

— In late April, Bob and Celia Munson will be back in Baguio after several months in the United States. They were able to attend the CPSP Plenary in Virginia Beach, VA March 12-14. Supervisor Vo was also in the US for a shorter trip but is back to work in Baguio now.

— Dr. Lyn Montecastro, formerly of Bukal, but now forming her own CPE training center in Cebu City, is holding a commissioning service in mid-May.

— Chaplain Renato Eustaquio, another graduate of Bukal, just held a CPE graduation in Bocaue on April 15.

Bob Munson, the administrator of Bukal Life Care, recently met Robert Charles Powell and based on their conversations decided to read and review some of Powell’s writings.

He started with a classic. This is the book that Powell originally wrote almost 50 years ago regarding the history of the Clinical Pastoral Movement. The review can be read by clicking below:

1. March 21 will be the first day of CPE Summer Intensive. We have a large group of trainees, along with two Supervisors and three Supervisors-in-Training.
2. Doc Bob and Supervisor Celia were able to attend the CPSP 33rd Plenary in the US on March 12-14. It was a great time to learn and to meet so many other clinical chaplains, supervisors, and pastoral counselors.
3. Congratulations to Crista Napay, Bhab Dicang, and Maricel Tindungan for passing their boards for Clinical Chaplain and Pastoral Counselor. All three of them also have been accepted into the SIT program of Bukal Life Care. Well Done!!
4. Congratulations to Christine Fodra, one of our trainees, for her graduation from PBTS with a Master of Divinity (PC) degree this month. She also won the Pastoral Care Award as well.

Our Advanced CPE group is finishing up, led by Supervisor Vo.

February 25, we plan to have a certification board (through CPSP-Philippines) for our 3 advanced trainees. The hope is this board will ultimately allow one or more to move into the SIT (Supervisor-in-Training) program.

In mid-March we will start our Summer Intensive CPE program. We presently have around 12 trainees (though numbers change). This will be led by Supervisors Celia and Vo (with hopefully some help from new SITs). The plan is to finish in the first week of June.

During March, Bob and Celia will attend the Plenary gathering of CPSP (US) in Virginia Beach, VA. In January, the two of them along with Supervisor Vo attended the Board meeting of CPSP-philippines.

Update on the Update: The board for Crista Andrea Napay, Maricel Tindungan and Bhab Dicang. Board members included Diplomtes Celia Munson, Paul Tabon, and Larry Gusto. Also joining was their supervisor, Diplomate Vo Canoy. The board was done online on February 25, 2023, with two board members and two of the candidates IRL at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary. All three passed their boards with plans to serve as Supervisors in Training (SITs) under Celia and Vo this summer.

Chaplain Vo was able to lead training in Basic Counseling for two different groups at a gathering of Southern Baptist Youth of Luzon, held at PBTS this December.

We recently finished the 2022 edition of Bukal Life Journal. We produced our first edition in 2012 and second one in 2013. Then there was a big break with 2022 being our third one. You are welcome to read it below.

https://www.academia.edu/89423989/Bukal_Life_Journal_2022?source=swp_share

or you can use this link:

https://www.slideserve.com/embed/11708078

October 15, 2022, we were invited by organizer, Ms. Jezza Pingo, to a seminar for the Pag-Asa Para Sa Bata/Kabataan Project. Chaplain Celia was asked to be a resource speaker.

Around 50 were in attendance, with mini-presentations from related ministries— Child Evangelism Fellowship, Youth on Point, and Prison Fellowship International.

It was a great gathering of people who share concern for the well-being of children in Benguet. We look forward to see how we can work together.

October 8, 2022, we completed our online CPO group online. The program was 9 weeks long, meeting on Sunday afternoons as a group, and then individual supervision during the week.

Although online, everyone was able to gather on the 8th at Bukal for commissioning with Chaplain Supervisor (supervisor) and Doc Bob (trainer).

Here are a few highlights of what is just finished, is finishing, is starting, or in the near future. Well… I guess that pretty much covers it.

Just Finished: We had a great visit with Chaplain Renato and Dr. Joy Eustaquio. They serve God in Bocaue, Bulacan. They have a center there (“The Chaplain’s Office”) that is involved in Corporate Chaplaincy, Hospital Chaplaincy, and problems with eyesight (‘low vision’). Chaplain Renato is a supervisee of Chaplain Celia, and has been a friend or partner of Bukal Life Care for many years. This last Sunday, he shared a short inspirational message on corporate chaplaincy and ministry for the CPO group.

Is Finishing: We are entering the final leg of our online Clinical Pastoral Orientation (CPO). This group of 8 with Chaplain Celia have been meeting on Sundays online for several weeks. The second weekend of October, they will all gather IRL (‘in real life’) for their final meeting, and celebration.

Is Starting. Groups of Chaplains Vo and Lyn are just starting CPE groups. Chaplain Vo’s group with working with a local ministry named KABSAT (by the way the word “kabsat” is Ilocano for “friend”) and is doing much of their practical ministry in the cancer center of Baguio General Hospital.

In the Near Future. On October 15. the Munsons were asked to join a training involving Childhood Trauma. Chaplain Celia will be one of the resource speakers for this.

Also in the near future we should have our Bukal Life Journal done. It is pretty much complete now. Just waiting on some corrections on one article. Hope to have good news soon.