Archive for the ‘Bears and Books’ Category
Trauma counseling helps children – and teachers
WENCHUAN, China – Schoolchildren in China’s Sichuan province – which was devastated by a massive earthquake 19 months ago – have new opportunities to experience full and meaningful lives, thanks in part to a long-term development project assisted by Southern Baptists.
What began as an effort to help Sichuan’s children deal with trauma caused by the magnitude 7.9 quake has grown into a first-of-its-kind partnership with five of China’s leading universities to train counselors for Sichuan’s schools, said Pam Wolf, who with her husband, Ben, leads work in the Asia Rim for BGR International, the Singapore-based parent organization of Baptist Global Response.
‘Hope Two’ for China!
On a recent trip to China’s Sichuan Province, Baptist Global Response staff visited “Hope Two,” a center that helps pregnant women who are survivors of the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Many women lost their one and only child in the earthquake and now are trying to have another child. In one resettlement camp, however, 75% of the pregnant mothers were miscarrying because of the high levels of post-traumatic stress they were experiencing.
A special room at Hope Two has been set aside for these mothers. It looks like a living room. Posters of babies decorate the walls. Obstetricians come to the center once a week to monitor the women, and hopeful mothers-to-be are benefiting from the “Bears and Books” provided by BGR partners – helping them mourn their loss and look to the future.
Praise God that the books and bears are providing comfort to these women! Please continue to pray about giving toward this project. A bear and a set of six books costs $11. The comfort and hope they are bringing to these young mothers-to-be is priceless! For information on how you can help, click here.
