Help for the helpers

We, in the Holy Land are living in unprecedented times. The recent horrific events and the resulting tragedy that continues to unfold is affecting many including our Migrants and Asylum Seekers. The Migrants shared the fate of their Israeli employers – being murdered, taken hostage, injured, unaccounted for, losing their belongings, their source of income and being displaced. This is a time when they need the VMAS pastoral workers (priests and religious sisters) to journey closely with them – bringing them comfort and consolation, listening to them, offering advice and accompanying them as the go through this harrowing time.

However, the pastoral workers who are helping the Migrants and Asylum Seekers are human and also in need of support and care. So, it is necessary to ensure that these pastoral workers also get some form of accompaniment to help them process what they and their communities are going through, so that they can continue to be available to help their communities.

The help for the helpers came through Dr. Kennedy Saldanha, who offered to journey with the pastoral workers through a virtual Mutual Aid Support Group. He is a professor at the School of Social Work, Eastern Michigan University. The first session was held on the 7^th of November from 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm. Dr. Saldanha proposed 3 biweekly sessions from now till December.

The participants come together as a group to reflect, share, and learn from each other about how to care and support themselves and those presently entrusted to their care. Together, the group members process their personal and professional experiences, sharing what they have be it resources, skills, ideas and processes. We remain very grateful to Dr. Kennedy for making himself available to facilitate these sessions for those providing pastoral care for international Migrants and Asylum Seekers. May the Holy Spirit guide and direct us as we journey together in these troubled times.

(Anna Manyonga pbvm)