Christian Emergency Network: Sharing Hope in Uvalde TX Crisis

CEN is often asked: “How to do you effectively share the Hope of Christ in emergencies both large and small and specifically when there has been a suicide or mass loss of life like the Texas school shooting?”

People who are directly affected by loss of life, broken relationships, and broken dreams often exhibit the same need for a Biblical response.

For a more info on crisis response: CEN ReadyChristian Training Guide

The Salvation Army has developed a term called “The ministry of presence” when responding to crises of all kinds whether it is from a natural or manmade disaster or in your home, workplace or community setting.

CEN Share Officer Bobbie Rill, National Christian Grief Counselor says you need to focus on the following principles when ministering to someone in grief crisis:

1. Become a heart with ears

2. Validate their emotions

3. Paraphrase what they are saying as is appropriate

4. Ask if they have ever thought about killing themselves or harming themselves in any way

5. Reassure them you are there for them anytime they would like to talk

CEN National Share Officer Dr Ed Smith is bringing the Hope of Jesus in Uvalde TX.

Event center where families of shooting victims were protected from media and could get services. There will be no charge for funerals. I visited w DPS chaplains here

Ministering to church members that attended a 6pm prayer vigil at a Hispanic evangelical church who had members of their church impacted by the shooting on Tuesday night

Standing room only prayer vigil where the community came. Gov Abbott and other leaders also attended the 7pm prayer vigil. I talked to several people here, including a state congresswoman team from San Antonio as well as 6 pastors from ministerial alliance for future outreaches.