When Disaster Strikes at HomeNäide

People involved with disaster situations have to cope with high levels of stress, because the scale of suffering and damage can be overwhelming.

There is sometimes little opportunity for rest, and there may not be enough people and resources to meet the needs. In addition, volunteers can be affected by seeing dead, injured and emotionally upset people. Church leaders themselves may also experience stress, not only because of the suffering around them, but also because of the increased demands and pressure of work on them. It is essential to understand stress, and how we can manage it well.

It’s important to keep open channels of communication; deal quickly with any misunderstandings or potential conflicts among team members. Relationship problems tend to increase stress.

In stressful times, seek extra resources from God, who has promised to equip us for every situation. Prayer is the most powerful resource we have available to us.