Dear friends,
Welcome to our new regular MemberCare column!
Here we want to talk about current issues that affect us in our life and ministry with YWAM in Central Europe.
Now, what would you do if…
– A team member is run over by a car and is killed?
– Your child has an accident in the house and is critically injured?
– A visiting YWAMer is robbed by someone pointing a gun at her?
How DO you react? What to do first? Who can you contact for help? Who needs to know what happened? Medical help, police, insurance, leaders, family members?
– CRISIS RESPONSE –
When we read such a list of horrible scenarios, we often get this sinking feeling in our stomach, together with the thought: “I hope this never happens to me!” and then: “Maybe if I don’t think about it, it won’t happen…”
And so we quickly try to forget about it again. Most YWAM teams and bases that I asked about this had nothing on file to help them in a crisis situation. (Not even the usually so organised Germans!)
Probably the old boy scout motto: ” Be prepared!” is a better response.
Why don’t you take the time to find out and write down things like:
– Phone numbers of: Next of kin for Team members
– Update insurance information incl. Hotline for MedEvac
– Local police, fire brigade, hospital etc.
– YWAM national and regional leaders
– (our MemberCare cell # is: 0049 163 339 2671, email: membercare@ywamce.com)
Now print it out and put it in a brightly coloured folder. Tell your team where this will be kept.
We are in the process of coming up with some more comprehensive check lists for crisis situations.
We will keep you informed.
Blessings,
Hannes and Doris Steets
YWAM CE Member Care
