Dozens of chaplains and church leaders throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America recently took part in an orientation that will equip them to provide first responder care. The training drew more than 240 leaders on March 3 for the virtual, five-hour instruction courses designed to jumpstart a certification initiative that will see a stronger disaster ministry and spiritual care established in the community, organizers said.

“This training is very important in our part of the world, where so many disasters hit our countries and islands year after year, and the need of immediate assistance for people facing a crisis, alongside the humanitarian assistance that ADRA provides right away,” said Pastor Hiram Ruiz, Chaplain Ministries director for the church in Inter-America. Having trained chaplains who can assess the primary crisis needs of a person, identify the proper attention and establish an immediate plan of action, in coordination with municipal leaders and religious organizations in the community, and point them to mental health professionals to help them overcome the crisis, among other responsibilities, has been overdue, he added.

Partnership with Local ADRA Offices

The plan is to have equipped chaplains next to the Adventist Development and Relief Agency’s (ADRA) first response teams on the ground in their initial visit to disaster areas for more comprehensive care, said Ruiz. A number of ADRA leaders across the territory were part of the orientation training.

Dr. Martin Feldbush, former president of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries and certified instructor of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) Assisting Individuals in Crisis, was the main lecturer. Feldbush led chaplains through an introduction to crisis care, assisting individuals in crisis, listening in crisis, crisis management briefing, grief following trauma, becoming an emotional and spiritual provider, strategic planning for crisis care, and more.

“Crisis is not only when anxiety arises; it is a time when people can grow and learn,” said Feldbush. “People will grow during a crisis, but they need you to be there giving comfort in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.”

Waiting for the time of crisis is not the time to prepare to respond to the crisis, added Feldbush, “but we must prepare for the crisis before the crisis comes.” A series of Q&A sessions followed each lecture, where participants could send in their questions on each subject.

Chaplaincy Ministries Gaining Strength

The training is part of continuing education available to the 230 chaplains already enrolled in certification through Adventist Chaplaincy Institute, which is overseen by the Adventist world church. “Our plan is to get the more than 300 chaplains in schools, hospitals, and in different institutions to have the skills and knowledge to provide well-rounded service to those needing assistance, not only within the church, but in the community all around them,” said Ruiz. “We have an immediate response to the church, but we have a crisis intervention for the community that transcends borders within the community.”

Chaplaincy ministries across Inter-America has gained strength during the past five years with back-to-back certification training sessions each year, said Ruiz.

Mario Ceballos, director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries, encouraged chaplains to be on the alert when listening to the personal stories of many individuals affected by crisis, especially in the area of sexual abuse and the urgency of channeling assistance and reporting it to the authorities.

Each of the registered participants in the orientation training will receive a certificate of completion by the Adventist Chaplaincy Institute, said Ceballos. “This is just the beginning of the training in crisis care, and many of you will become instructors to instruct other people.” It’s a special program that all chaplains and first responders should have, he added.

Additional In-depth Training

A second in-depth training will take place May 2–3, where the first group of 25 chaplains from Inter-America will delve into courses as first responders for persons in crisis, Ruiz said. The same courses by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation will be provided two more times before the end of the year and continue with additional courses to complete the certification.

“Our goal is to offer professional services to vulnerable communities to respond in the event of humanitarian crises and natural disasters,” said Ruiz. Many ADRA country directors took part in the orientation instruction, and the plan is to continue close coordination in each country and island in Inter-America, he added.

For David Poloche, ADRA director for Inter-America, the joint assistance chaplains can provide during their first response to earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, and any other disasters will be a great benefit. “We are always moving fast with the humanitarian response, the basic needs of so many, and for a certified chaplain to join that initial response is going to provide such a blessing,” Poloche said.

For more information about courses offered at the Adventist Chaplaincy Institute, click HERE.

This article was originally published on the Inter-America Division’s website