Stars and Stripes: "Pacific schools offering additional counseling for kids with deployed parents"

I came across another article in the Stars and Strips this week. It discusses a new form of support the military is providing for families. As I've shared in the past, studies are revealing that long, multiple wartime deployments are taking their toll on children of service members. Counselors and mental health experts are being contracted by the military to provide support for students in schools. Although many teachers have great hearts for their students, it seems that many just aren't equipped to handle the emotional stress their students are experiencing. It appears that one of the most helpful things they are doing is opening up the door for communication between teachers and students. Counselors are letting teachers know which of their students have a parent serving elsewhere and may be dealing with some added stress as a result.

I think it's great to see the military stepping in to offer support for military families. I consider it a privilege to be able to support these families as well through serving with Malachi. What draws me to serving with Malachi, as opposed to working as a counselor in a school, is I have the freedom to really get to know students on a personal level and point them to Jesus.

While living in Okinawa, I subbed at Kadena Middle School fairly regularly for 3 years. During that same time I also worked with the middle school youth group. As I've reflected on my time in the school and in the youth group, I really loved how relational youth group was. Because school is more formal when it comes to adult-student relationships, I felt more limited in how I could engage with students.

So while I'm happy that schools have identified the need to help students cope with stress generated by their parents military service, I do feel it's equally important for students to plug into youth group and build relationships with adults who know Jesus. Ultimately, it's Jesus who can heal these kids and relieve their stress. I pray these students will come to know Christ and experience Peace like only Jesus can give.

Click here to read the article.