Tag Archives: typhoon yolanda

Year in Review

 From Typhoon Yolanda to Our New Office.

NOV 13-14. Disaster Response Training. PBTS (25 trainees approx.)

NOV 15. BOT Meeting, Cafe Will.

NOV 16-20.  Tacloban Rescue Trip  (Partnering with Montecastos)

NOV 17-24. Ormoc/Tacloban DR Trip #1 (PBTS/Bukal partnering) Alexis

NOV 18. Disaster Response Training. AV-STM (15 trainees)

NOV 25-30. Iloklan Disaster DR Trip. (6)

DEC 2-9. Cebu/Ormoc DR Trip. (10)

DEC 17-19. Bohol DR Trip. (Bob, Celia, Joel)

DEC 27-28. Project Leyte. Crisis Defusing/Debriefing Training (PNA, PGCA, Zero Distance, Nightingale Builders) (Celia, Jehny, Cori, Bart)

JAN 13-20. ACCE Addiction Training (Prof. Dev.) (Celia, Jehny, Sera)

JAN 30. Intentional Conversation Mini-Workshop (38 trainees approx.)

JAN 30 – FEB 10. DR Trip to Tanauan and Isabel, Leyte. Project Leyte. (Celia, Becky, Cori, Bart)

FEB 20. AV-STM Partnership meeting

FEB 21. Intentional Converstion Training. SNN. (20 trainees)

FEB 22. Mediation Training. (25 trainees)

FEB 25-MAR 10 History of Pastoral Care (Prof. Dev.) (Celia)

MAR 12. PMHA Training (Prof. Dev.) (6)

MAR ______ PNA Trip to Samar (Cori)

MAR 20 – APR 9. Bohol/Visayas DR Mission Trip (Alexis)

MAR 24. First Aid and Baggage Cart Training. AV-STM. (22 trainees approx.)

MAR 26. Start of CPE Summer Intensive (6 trainees) Half Unit.

MAR 30 – APR 2. CPSP Plenary. (Celia)

MAR 31. Intro to Historical/Clinical Pastoral Care (12 trainees)

MAY 26 – JUN 4. Tacloban/Iloilo Disaster Response/Rehab/DVBS

MAY 7-9 Life Coaching Training (Prof. Dev.) (Becky, Joel)

JUN 2 – JUL CPO (6 trainees)

JUN 19. Models of PC and Christian Counseling. (25 trainees)

JUL 15. PGCA Quarterly Training (Prof. Dev.) (Celia, Becky, Alexis)

JUL 18. Special Education Training (Prof. Dev.)

JUL 22. Pastoral Diagnosis training. (18 trainees approx.)

AUG 28. Baggage Cart training. (13 trainees approx.)

AUG 31 – SEP 1. Visioning Weekend. (13 trainees approx.)

SEP 18. Healing the Shame that Binds You Training (12 trainees approx.)

SEP 20. Shepherding Seminar (Prof. Dev)

OCT 4 – 13/28. Korea Pastoral Care Trip. Training several groups. Pastoral Care, Disaster Response, Missiology

OCT 11. Parenting Congress. (Prof. Dev.)

OCT 14-18. Ruth Foundation Palliative Care Training (Prof. Dev.) (Cori, Jehny, Becky)

OCT 16. Children’s Counseling Training (Prof. Dev.) (Alexis)

OCT 17-19. Ambassadors of Hope Workshop/ CPSP. (Prof. Dev.) (Celia, Becky)

NOV 15  BOT Meeting

NOV 18-20.  LCSBC Convention

NOV 23-25.  Move into our new Office!!!

Advertisement

June 2014 Updates

Here are a few things in the recent past, present, and recent future.

1.  Gabby Mecca (from Virginia in the US) is joining our group for a few weeks… assisting us in Disaster Response, and Hospital work and more.

2.  May 25 – June 5th. Visayas Trip. This was our… 4th or 5th trip to the area devastated by Typhoon Yolanda (aka Haiyan) since December. This trip was in partnership with PBTS, PWMU, and others. 6 team members went. Celia, Alexis, Joylene, Jeanard, Gabby, and Lea were at two evacuation centers in the Tacloban (Leyte) area for half of the trip. Half did Vacation Bible School (Faith, Hope, Love) with the children, while the other half did Psychosocial Processing with the adults. Joylene and Jeanard went on to Mindanao, while the other four travelled to Concepcion, Iloilo. They split their work there between two islands, Mangalabang, and Baliguian. Their they continued the work done in Tacloban, and added the initial groundwork towards a community development program there.

3.  June 2nd. This was the start of an introductory clinical pastoral training group led by Celia and assisted by Jehny and Becky. 6 trainees are Fr. German, Sr. Amelia, Alexis, JB, Gabby, and Joel. Most of their practical ministry work will be done through Baguio General Hospital.

4.  June 19th. “Models of Pastoral Care and Christian Counseling.” This will be a mini-seminar on various forms of Christian ministry in the area of counseling and pastoral care. The goal is a basic understanding of hte different goals of each and their belief regarding the relationship between psychology and theology. This is a free seminar starting at 6:30pm and ending at 9pm at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (Baguio City, Philippines)

Children in Mangalabang Island

Children in Mangalabang Island

 

Baliguian Island

Baliguian Island

 

Project Visayas June 2014

Our latest trip to the Visayas Region in response to Typhoon Yolanda was from May 26 to June 4. The team is a partnership between PBTS (Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary) and Bukal Life Care. The team of 6 includes Celia, Jeanard, Alexis, Lea, Joylene, and Gabby.  This day (27th) is the second day of DVBS in Tacloban. There were over 120 for day one at the evacuation center and over 190 on day two. Psychosocial Processing (PSP) is also being done.

The 31st, the team will travel to Baliguian Island. DVBS and PSP will be done there as well as initiation of community development work there.

10334367_874704879213435_2034391025583426212_n

Project Leyte- Bukal Life Care Team

Project Leyte was a partnership of various Baguio-based groups, including Philippine Nurses Association-Baguio, Philippine Guidance Counselors Association- Baguio, Zero Distance from the Philippines, Nightingale Builders, and Bukal Life Care.

Four members of Bukal Life Care joined. Three went to Isabel (Celia, Becky, and Cori) joined by a nurse, Mimi; while one (Ptr. Bart) joined the main contingent in Tanauan.

The Isabel team was invited by Pasar Foundation, to do stress debriefing with local students and teachers. We were hosted by Pasar and they were most gracious hosts. The team was able to provide debriefing for between 150 and 200, and individual pastoral care for a number of individuals. Isabel, Leyte is an area where there was a great deal of physical destruction and economic damage, but no loss of life.

The Tanauan team was working in partnership with DSWD- Regions 1 and 8. This area had major structural damage as well as loss of life. The team did debriefing work as well as a Medical Mission.

More photos are available on FB (in or FB group and page as well as on pages of our partners). But here a very few for you now.

A20140203_161327A20140203_125602A20140205_114847A20140205_121207A20140204_134330A20140205_154451B20140206_134048A20140205_170350

Disaster Response in Leyte.

Part of the Project Leyte team has already left. This includes Ptr. Bart from Bukal Life Care. The rest of our team (including Celia, Becky, and Cori) is leaving tonight. Thanks to groups in partnership with us (PNA-Baguio/Benguet, PGCA-Baguio/Benguet, Zero Distance from the Philippines, Nightingale Builders and DSWD-Regions 1, 8, and CAR). Thankful to the many sponsors. We would like to specially thank those who are helping our group specifically. These include

  • Virginia Baptist Disaster Response
  • PASAR Corp.
  • Analyn Caytap
  • Dr. Alicia Pangilinan
  • Monday Afternoon Club.

Most of Project Leyte will work in Tanauan, Leyte. However, most of the Bukal Life Care team will work in Isabel, Leyte, early in the week and join the others in Tanauan for the medical mission.

 

Our Latest E-Journal

<div style=”margin-bottom:5px”> <strong> <a href=”https://www.slideshare.net/bmunson3/bukal-life-care-journal-2013&#8243; title=”Bukal Life Care Journal 2013″ target=”_blank”>Bukal Life Care Journal 2013</a> </strong> from <strong><a href=”http://www.slideshare.net/bmunson3&#8243; target=”_blank”>Bob Munson</a></strong> </div>

Bukal Yo Hope” Disaster Response Stress Defusing

Two teams have departed for the Visayas in December in response to disasters there.

Team A. 10 team members travelled to Cebu City and Ormoc City. Divided into two groups, they were on site from December 2nd to 9th. There they did stress debriefing at evacuation centers, a hospital, and door-to-door. Additionally, they did training for ministry leaders in Cebu. The visit at this time was a challenging period as evacutation centers were being closed. As the relief phase ends, there is a need for a development phase. Time will tell how well this transition goes.cebu 1

Team B. 3 team members travelled to Bohol. They assisted a team already there. They were there December 17-19 and did stress defusing with ministry leaders as well as training. Relief goods were also distributed. Bohol is quite different from Cebu and Leyte. Cebu and Leyte were greatly affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Bohol did not get hurt much by the typhoon, but had a major earthquake a few weeks previous. We were actually preparing to go to Bohol some weeks before, but got reprioritized by the typhoon that followed. We are glad we had the opportunity to get to Bohol finally. bohol 1

December Updates

Disaster Response for Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) is in full swing. The first mission trip organized by Bukal Life Care just finished with work in Kalibo, Aklan, and Baliguian Island, Iloilo. Rice, roof sheeting, vitamins, and other relief goods were provided. Additionally, community assessment, crisis care, and art therapy were provided. This team consisted of Angie, Ptr. Ysrael, Fhey, Joylene, Lea, and Raymark.

Our latest team, consisting of 10 members, have just arrived in Cebu City, with various crisis care and training activities planned in Cebu and Ormoc Cities over the next week. This team consists of Celia, Jehny, Becky, Ptr. Arnold, Rose, Padi Pinit, Bonniebe, Mildred, Aldrin, and Serafina.

The newest CPE group started, led by Joyce. The trainees are Padi Pinit, Glenda, Noel, Corito, and Marie.

CPO (Clinical Pastoral Orientation) will start in January 2014. May also have a new batch of CPE at this time as well.

Baliguian Island

Baliguian Island

Baliguian Island

Baliguian Island

Traveling to Mission Site

Traveling to Mission Site

Team in Kalibo

Team in Kalibo

Harvest Church in Kalibo

Harvest Church in Kalibo

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.