When a child experiences a disaster, everyday life can become frightening, and simple tasks overwhelming. Mental health support is crucial, so children can build their resilience and process traumatic experiences with people they trust. 

Thanks to your support, that’s what our Christian Partner is doing in Vanuatu, after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake destroyed homes and caused extensive destruction. 

Our Partner is training pastors and community members to run trauma healing sessions to support people impacted by the earthquake.  

These practical workshops help people feel comfortable with sharing their experiences, so they can process their trauma in a healthy way that supports their wellbeing. So far 21 people from various provinces have been trained in Port Vila, so they can return to their communities and provide support to others. To date, 18 group sessions and 50 individual counselling sessions have been held as a result of the training.  

Healing Through Sharing Stories 

Stephen Tasker, Baptist World Aid International Program Coordinator, recently joined our Partner in Vanuatu to see the project in action. 

During his visit, newly trained participants were eagerly using their skills to run a session for 40 school children from years six to eight. ‘The session began with helping children understand what trauma is,’ Stephen said, ‘then in smaller groups, everyone had a chance to share their story in a safe environment’. 

‘One child spoke about how he saw his friend go into a shop before it collapsed, and his friend didn’t come out. Another child shared how he fell and broke his arm while trying to escape. Some shared the nightmares they experienced after the earthquake. And a teacher talked about the high anxiety of trying to reach her children by travelling through an unsafe, restricted area.’ 

‘Talking about it made the children feel more confident dealing with the situation, as they began to understand that they aren’t the only ones who felt that way. This helped them build their resilience,’ Stephen said. 

Building Resilience For The Future 

While this project focuses on trauma experienced after the earthquake, our Partners hope to ultimately equip community members for future hardships or disasters. 

‘It’s important to help people be physically and environmentally prepared for future disasters, but mental resilience is important too, and can sometimes be overlooked,’ Stephen said. 

The people selected for our Partner’s mental health training are from different provinces, which means that on top of supporting people impacted by the earthquake, this project has wide-reaching and long-term benefits in helping people mentally respond to future disasters. 

‘Where they live, there’s a higher risk of experiencing a catastrophic event compared to other countries. By helping children talk about their feelings, they’re helping them build their mental resilience, so they can not only be prepared, but grow to be healthy adults.’  

How You Can Pray 

Our Partner’s work is made possible by supporters like you, who gave generously to our Vanuatu appeal. We value your prayers for the people of Vanuatu as they continue to recover from the earthquake.  

Please pray for: 
• Children impacted by the earthquake—that they would have a safe space to process their experiences and get support for their mental health 
• For those who are trained to conduct sessions—that they would provide tangible support and care for their community. 
• Families who are struggling after the earthquake—that God would provide for their needs, both physical, emotional, and spiritual, as they rebuild their lives 
• Our Partners—that God would strengthen and equip them to meet people’s needs in the most effective way possible.