It was heart breaking to see the widespread devastation and immense human suffering that super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) wrought to thousands of people in different regions of the Philippines. In solidarity, ATS immediately responded by mobilizing and training volunteers on psycho-spiritual support (PSS). ATS was able to deploy ten teams in seven batches consisting of 66 volunteer counselors from the faculty, staff, and students from November (two weeks after the typhoon struck) to January. Here are some of the stories of the people they helped.

Stories of PainIn between sobs, Rosa whispered,

“Thank you for coming over to listen to me. No one wants to listen here. All are hurting. I can’t believe someone will care to listen to me.” (translated)

Rosa, a young 22 year-old mother, was

able to save her two children but witnessed how the treacherous sea waters swallowed up her grandparents. They thought they were safe on the roof of her grandparents’ two-story house, but the powerful waves, a rolling cargo van, and a ship smashed their abode like a house of cards. She only had two hands to grasp her children and so was not able to protect the two other important people who took care of her in the absence of her parents. The words of her grandparents would forever ring in her head, “Take care of your children!” as she helplessly watched the waters engulfed them.

After the typhoon, Neneng finally found the courage to go back home, but found her mother dead. “When will the grieving stop?” she wept. She blamed her aged father for not being able to save her mother. With anguish in heart,

ATS Teams go to Disaster Areas

Trans fo rm ing leaders fo r t he Church and the Wor ld

April 2014

Goals1. To provide follow up response to the various phase 1

outreach areas:• monitor the outcome or effects of the outreach

facilitated by ATS;• facilitate further processing, as necessary, for survivors

in Phase 1;• identify and coordinate churches or communities

needing training on psycho-spiritual support (PSS).2. To strengthen community support structures in the area of

disaster relief operations:• equip church and community workers with

the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed in facilitating PSS to disaster survivors in their areas; equip Christian groups and organizations in PSS so that they can deploy their own teams;

• develop support groups among survivors as they build back their lives and communities;

• encourage and mobilize churches, communities, and organizations to develop more holistic disaster response initiatives by integrating PSS in disaster relief operations.

3. To engage faculty and students’ further learning beyond the classroom setting.

Specific Plans• Follow-up of Places Visited (May 2014)• Training in Metro Manila in PSS for churches/groups

involved in disaster (May 2-3, 2014)• Workshop on PSS with urban poor churches (April)• Specific plans and schedules for disaster affected areas

will be made after the follow up.

These plans will be facilitated by the ATS Counseling Center and the Center for Continuing Studies. For inquiries, email ccs@mail.ats.ph or call 928-5097, 928-6717 local 110 or 128.

Giving towards this cause will be highly appreciated. You may send donations through:Online: www.ats.ph & click donate nowOr call: (632) 9286717 ; 9286709 loc.108 (Business Office) or loc.132 (ComDev Office)

Phase 2 Follow up and Training

ASIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

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In Solidarity with the Suffering

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The Distinct Role of ATS by Dr. Tim D. Gener, ATS President

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Tacloban

Ormoc

Leyte Pastors

Kananga

Dulag

Carigara

Capiz

Basey, Samar

Aklan

Children

AdultsBasey

PROJECT REACHGiven Psycho-spiritual Support (PSS) 4,280

- Adults 2,264- Children 2,016

Oriented to PSS 470

1. How did ATS Project Yolanda start?

Just a few days after Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) struck, Bishop Cesar Punzalan, (Vice-Chairman of the ATS Board of Trustees), told me, “I foresee that there will be an outpouring of relief goods, but what will be neglected is the need for counseling. Because ATS is experienced in this, it can help fill that need.” I resonated deeply with Bishop Cesar’s concern and suggestion. Grassroots connections to church leaders through our Center for Continuing Studies (CCS) are natural linkages that can be tapped for a concerted effort in grief counseling that is both church and community-based. After sharing this with the faculty, staff, and later on with students, there was overwhelming agreement that this was a much needed ministry. Dr. Annabel Manalo (Counseling) and Dr. Athena Gorospe (Biblical Studies) contributed much of their wisdom, time and energy in the project. Through their input, and with the Board’s approval, counselors were sent right away. CCS contacts were tapped immediately and Dr. Fernando Lua with Ms. Ruth Orteza oversaw logistics. Donations came in fast, and some in huge amounts.

A statement from one of the counselors confirmed the need for the project: “there is food available, but people cannot eat.”

The survivors needed assistance to cope with loss of loved ones, property, and most importantly, with the experience of trauma and despair.

2. What is distinct about ATS’s involvement?

Teams of trained counselors were sent to do counseling mostly in groups, but also minister to individuals in special cases of crippling emotional trauma. This was approached with cultural sensitivity and caution, meeting people where they are and, at the same time, giving room to cater to special cases. We specifically targeted efforts to happen before Christmas, because there could be many cases of suicide during the holiday season.

The project has two phases. The first involved counseling people, which also meant follow-up. Second is to train and empower people and churches from the ground to administer counseling themselves. We want to continue to extend care through these training programs to people who are closest to the affected areas.

Our emphasis on holistic ministry is also a distinctive. “Psycho-spiritual” counseling says a lot about its uniqueness and is a distinct ministry that ATS can offer. Our methodology in counseling involves

empathetic listening, emotional healing, and recognition of the spiritual dimension and resources available from our Christian faith to minister to people. Indeed, Project Yolanda became a venue to highlight the uniqueness of an Asian Christian approach. We are grateful to Dr. Annabel Manalo, our trauma specialist. Along with Dr. Bolet Bautista and Prof. Tina Co, ATS was able to develop something that is uniquely Filipino and Christian in holistic psycho-spiritual recovery.

3. What do you think made the project successful?

It was the overwhelming support of the whole community (within ATS and local communities) as well as ATS’ ministry partners. PCEC, PDERN, International Needs, Compassion, Victory Christian Fellowship and other local churches ministered with us, with their hearts and pockets. The trust of our ministry partners meant a lot and it was a big encouragement to us.

Our counseling approach also proved very effective. ATS is much into contextual studies, and through these, we are able to generate culturally sensitive pastoral responses. Finally, it is simply having the heart to minister. I saw this overwhelming desire to help, especially in the many people who attended our trainings and the heart warming reception from the survivors. I am happy and thankful that people continue to give towards the project. To God be the Glory!

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Psycho-spiritual Support In the Aftermath of Supertyphoon Yolanda/Haiyanby Dr. Annabel Manzanilla-ManaloPsychological first aid is most important in the immediate aftermath of disaster when the usual protective support structures in the community have been temporarily immobilized. Survivors usually experience emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and other stress-related problems. These are normal reactions given the severity and magnitude of Yolanda’s impact.

The Filipinos’ experience with disasters demonstrates our capacity for coping effectively with disaster. However, there are those who are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of disaster and are at greater risk of mental health problems if not given appropriate psycho-spiritual support. They could be the poor, the marginalized and excluded groups, those with existing predisposition to mental health problems prior to the disaster, and those who suffered severe losses of loved ones, homes, and livelihoods.

While our effort consisted of delivering psychological first aid, it was designed as psycho-spiritual support. The psycho-spiritual approach that we used differs from the usual Western model of debriefing. It integrates psychological tools and spiritual/theological resources and employs culturally and spiritually sensitive processes. It draws out the survivors’ strengths and coping resources and builds on the support networks in the community. It is modelled after Jesus’ way of being with people—fully present, caring and compassionate. It gives primary importance to listening attentively

and providing space for people to share their stories and feelings at a level that they feel most comfortable. It does not probe into the details of people’s experiences, since reliving memories of the event can be potentially traumatizing. Instead, it focuses on how people survived or where they drew strength from so that they could rise above the tragedy. This requires sensitivity and being able to highlight the spirituality dimension in people’s stories as a way of enabling them to look to the future with hope.

Part of the approach is leading the survivors to biblical themes that not only convey hope but affirm the spiritual value of expressing our anguish to God. Among these themes are God’s invitation to come to him and rest (Matt 11:28), God as refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1), God as source of peace, safety and security (Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 4:8), and prayers of lament (Psalm 77). Thus, the psycho-spiritual approach seeks to promote hope and a sense of empowerment which are essential in building individual and community resilience.

Like any intervention, timing is important in providing psycho-spiritual support. In our case, we went to the communities at a time when the initial period of chaos is over, when people are starting to take stock of the disaster’s impact and are more ready to process their feelings and reactions. With much sensitivity and care, we provided brief psycho-education on the common

effects of disaster and what people can do to cope with it.

There are important ethical considerations in doing psychospiritual support. First, do no harm. Before deploying volunteer counselors we provided them with appropriate training and guidelines so that they would be able to work effectively and avoid harmful effects to people. The preparation includes training on understanding disaster and its effects, and on psycho-spiritual processing with children and adults. Recognizing the potential damage from inappropriate theological perspectives, we included discussions on common faith issues raised by survivors and the appropriate attitude and responses to them. As most of the counselors did not have experience in disaster response, supervised practice became salient. Each team was headed by a lead counselor who did supervision and coaching.

Second is respecting existing structures/ efforts. We recognize the value of respecting and collaborating with existing efforts in the community. We ensured that we coordinate

Dr. Annabel M. Manalo is Associate Professor and chair of the counseling department of ATS. For the past 20 years, she has been providing psychosocial services to communities displaced by armed conflicts and natural disasters, survivors of torture and enforced disappearance, and street children/youth at risk. She is a licensed psychol-ogist and a certified clinical, counseling and assessment psychologist.

Cover photo: Due to their limited expression of words, the psycho-spiritual processing of children through drawing enables them to better express themselves. ...to page 4

she resented that only her father remained alive. She then uttered, Busy kaming iligtas ang aming mga anak, di na namin alam sino uunahin (“We were too busy looking out for our children, we didn’t know who to save first.”), pointing to her kids playing.

Stories of HopeSomeone said, Dito! Buhay! (“Here!

They’re alive!”). Gemma, with heart pounding, immediately ran and found her family inside the toilet. Somehow they found their way atop a floating refrigerator through the ceiling vent, crawling on roof beams towards other houses on higher ground until Yolanda subsided.

12 year-old Mina held on amidst the storm surge while witnessing her father being hit by a metal roof sheet. Afraid for her own survival, she was more terrified not to see her father again.

When the storm subsided, and seeing her father alive and the rest of the family survive the horrific experience, Mina managed to hope and look at the brighter side of life. Hindi na dapat magsisihan, dapat matuto na lang (“There’s no need to blame anyone. We just have to learn from it.”), she said.

These stories of pain, hope and survival are among those that abound in the devastated areas of Typhoon Yolanda. Those were places of wrecked houses, wounded hearts and broken

spirits. Psycho-spiritual processing plays a crucial role in working through people’s psychological, emotional and spiritual distress, instilling faith and hope in an otherwise dismal situation. The ATS Teams have voluntarily provided this service to the marginalized survivors of the typhoon resulting in a strengthened inner being, hopeful outlook and enriched lives.

(Stories contributed by: Jojo Angeles, Marizol Duran, Ella

Abigail Santos and anonymous individuals)

* All survivors’ names have been kept confidential.

with churches, NGOs, local governments and other groups knowledgeable in the community. This minimizes, if not prevent, confusion, overlapping, wastages, competition, and ensures a conducive psychological climate for our activities.

While it is difficult to gauge the impact of the psycho-spiritual services at this stage, there are positive indications from the grateful and affirming responses from the communities. They claimed to have valued most the pakikiramay and pakikipag-isang damdamin (sense of solidarity) by the counselors. Their response to biblical themes showed that these fully resonated with their religious worldviews and strengthened them. The authentic encounter between the counselors and the survivors was very enriching, and the process was growth-enhancing.

The initial psycho-spiritual support effort and the planned longer term engagement are meant to concretize “loving thy neighbor” and witness to God’s loving, compassionate and empowering presence in the midst of so much devastation and suffering. On the pedagogical side, the lessons gained from this experience could be systematized to inform specific areas of ATS programs—curriculum, missiological engagement, and student formation.

In Solidarity... from page 1Psycho-spiritual... from page 3

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Asian Theological Seminary54 Sct. Madriñan, Quezon City 1103 PhilippinesTel.: (632) 928-6717; 923-0669 Fax: (632) 928-5114Email: info@mail.ats.phWebsite: www.ats.ph facebook.com/ats.ph

Flowers for the dead love ones beneath the ship.

Photos by: Micah Abalos, Dr. Fer Lua, Leah Ponio, Ella Abigail Santos

Tacloban PSS Team with Dr. Annabel Manalo, Dr. Fernando Lua, Prof. Cristina Co, Dr. Athena Gorospe (not in picture), ATS faculty.

HOPE amidst the rubbles at Bgy. 83-a purok 5, San Jose Tacloban. “mam ito po ang simbolo ng aming pagbangon” (Ma’am, this is the symbol of our new life. - from a Taclobanon mother)