After the Storm
We all experience storms in life, literally and figuratively. And, everyone handles “storms” differently. This is true for children as well. Lately, many have suffered from horrific natural disasters – hurricanes, floods, wild fires, earthquakes. It is during times like this that we adults can become very busy in dealing with the aftermath of the disaster, that we may overlook the needs of the children who are also dealing with the same event.
It has been beautiful to see the Body of Christ come together from all over the world to link arms in bringing help, healing and wholeness to our communities. As we continue to do this, almost all of us will come in contact with families with children in some way. Walking kids through a traumatic event, like these recent natural disasters, can be very complex and not every adult will know what to do or say. It can feel overwhelming for a parent, teacher, ministry leader, or any adult dealing with children in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Thankfully, there are experts in this field and proven strategies to help navigate these conversations.
A friend in ministry, Back2Back Ministries, put together a short video entitled, “Healing Principles for Working with Children in Trauma.” It is about 18 minutes in length, and discusses research and best practices to working with children who have experienced a traumatic event. It is such a powerful, equipping tool, and we wanted to make this resource available to you to use with your community as well.
Click here for English version.
Click here for Spanish version.
The video ends with a great reminder to all of us – the caregivers, ministry leaders, counselors, family members, and friends – that we need to take the time to care for ourselves as well to rest and be filled up, so we can continue to pour out. The Church has a long road ahead and you are a vital part.
The good news is that the sun always shines after the storm.
Hope for HoUSton
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, there is mass devastation, but there is also HOPE!
There is no doubt that the landscape of Houston has changed. You can’t drive very far without seeing the heartbreak of people’s homes and memories sitting on the curb, but you also can’t drive very far without seeing a smiling face and a helping hand. Turn on any news station, and you will see neighbors helping neighbors, and even more heartwarming, complete strangers helping one another.
First, people came from near and far to help with search and rescue. Now, they are shifting their focus and putting in countless hours cleaning up and helping rebuild Houston and the surrounding Gulf Coast communities. Go into any neighborhood and you will see people from every walk of life rolling up their sleeves and gutting and cleaning out homes, praying with and for one another, and getting up the next day to do it all over again. We are meeting people daily who have shared that they are using their vacation time to help their fellow man. There are really no words, except thank you!
Because of this atmosphere of love and support, you could almost miss the immense magnitude of this storm. We have yet to meet a Houstonian who hasn’t been affected personally in some way. Yes, the road to recovery will be long, but there is HOPE for a much better tomorrow!
We invite you to join us in bringing HOPE to the city of HoUSton and the surrounding communities by signing up to volunteer in the recovery efforts. Click here to register through Samaritan’s Purse.
HoUSton – We Have a Solution
We at Mobilizing Medical Missions (M3) stand in awe of the outpouring of encouragement and support that Houston and other Gulf Coast cities are receiving right now! The spirit of love and unity is tangible, and we know that it makes a big difference in our recovery efforts. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus tells us that where two or more are gathered in His name, He is there with them. And, as people are coming together here in Houston with one heart and one mind to help those who are suffering, we see Him all over our great city.
Yes, Houston had a big problem; its name was Harvey. But, HoUSton has a bigger solution; His name is JESUS!
If you want to join this great team of people in being the hands and feet of Jesus here in Houston and around the Gulf Coast area, please click here to sign up through Samaritan’s Purse.
Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts Underway
Mobilizing Medical Missions (M3) is based in Houston, Texas, and we’ve been dealing with the aftermath of the epic flooding following devastating Hurricane Harvey. We send our love and prayers to our fellow Texans, especially those in the Gulf Coast area, who have been affected. We are so grateful to see Samaritan’s Purse beginning to dispatch their disaster relief teams. If you would like to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse to help clean up and rebuild homes in Houston and other flooded cities, please click here.