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Apr 16, 2013 | Episcopal Relief & Development

Tips and Resources on Boston Bombing from Episcopal Relief and Development

At Episcopal Relief &  Development, our hearts and prayers go out to those impacted by the tragic explosions at the April 15 Boston Marathon.  We have posted a web statement, which is available here.

 

The US Disaster Program has developed the following resources for parents and church leaders ministering to children and families in the first week after a disaster :

 

Working with Children After a Disaster: Tips for Parents and Teachers. This one-page handout suggests age-appropriate ways to help children process, discuss and pray about a disaster. It can be used as a bulletin insert or sent home with children in religious education classes this weekend.

 

Individual and Family Preparedness. This one-page handout details ways for families and individuals to make their own disaster preparedness plan, including information and items that should go into a preparedness kit.

 

Curricula for Ministering to Children, Youth and Teens After a Disaster. This three-module resource provides age-appropriate lesson plans and activities for church school classes and youth group sessions immediately following a tragic event. While it focuses on communities directly impacted, religious educators can adapt the prayer experiences and discussion guides to help children and youth respond to tragic events in other communities.  The modules are:

 

 

Note from our US Disaster team: Please be sensitive to the needs of children before exposing them to details about a disaster. While encouraging prayer is always appropriate, let young people take the lead in indicating what they need in terms of information and discussion.  Additionally, it’s also important to let those who are directly impacted by a disaster take the lead in indicating what kind of response they require. Right now church leaders in Massachusetts are asking for your prayers.

These and other resources on disaster response can be found online at http://www.er-d.org/resourcelibrary.  For more information please email Barb Ballenger.