NO ONE WANTS TO THINK ABOUT the prospects of a trauma-inducing event, especially during the holiday season. Unfortunately, those prospects exist, but there is a local group that is seeking to find a few good men and women to help stand in the gap if the need requires.
Chaplain Billy Williams of Texas City is seeking those willing to rise up to the challenge through signing up for Chaplaincy Training though the International Fellowship of Chaplains. The organization will hold local training at Texas City’s Nessler Center on April 20-24, 2020, but the door is open for early registration.
“There is a standardized system that the federal government is establishing locally, statewide and nationally in times of disaster,” said Williams. “What they do is require training to come in and be part of the solution. When you show up, you just don’t show up with good intentions. You show up with tools ready to help serve the situation.”
The 40-hour course in Chaplaincy is offered for emergency service personnel, law enforcement, industrial chaplains and those who wish to become chaplains. Among the courses will be Critical Incident Stress, Depression, Grief and Loss, Spirituality and Trauma and Suicidology. Those interested can get an early start by registering at ifoc.org/chaplaincy-training/. The course will cost $300, but those who sign up before March 20 will receive a discount.
“They are going to bring in certified trainers from agencies of the government along with local entities,” said Williams, whose chaplaincy was put to extensive use following Hurricane Harvey. “The training they’re going to give you is hands-on training that will give you practical exposure to different scenarios.”
The emphasis with the courses is to provide a well-stocked group of chaplain-trained first responders who can be the calming presence during times of crisis.
“We want to provide spiritual and comfort care,” said Williams. “We do it with no cost. We do it because we simply want to help. We don’t care who you are or what you look like. If you’re in a crisis mode, we want to help you through it. We’re there to preach love.”
The IFOC falls under the umbrella of the Red Cross and Salvation Army as it serves a similar role. Its stated purpose is to “establish and maintain a workable and beneficial relationship between the Secular and Religious sectors of society for the purpose of ministry in the work place and the education and training of a professional work force in the area of Chaplaincy.”
“What we’re doing is qualifying ourselves to go out and be the hands and feet of the Lord,” said Williams.
