Children and Trauma

The current crisis in the country has not spared even children. Many children go through feelings and thoughts of anxiety and the younger the child; the more their anxiety will be tied to the adults in their lives. Older children may have distorted perceptions of what is happening while pre teens and teenagers will form their own opinion from every source of information in their lives: media, peers, adults and their experiences. Adults must as such watch and be careful with their language, attitudes and actions. We must as Christians have hope in this time, love our neighbors and most of all put our trust in God.  

Signs of trauma in children

• Acting like a much younger child
• Pains here and there (real and assumed)
• Fear to leave home or trusted adults
• Wanting to sleep with others or not sleep at all
• Night mares, disturbed sleep
• Stammering and fear of strangers
• Regress to bed wetting
• Anxiety and hyper sensitivity and so cry often
• Unexplained sadness, loss of concentration
• Loss of appetite
• War at play; easily fights with other children
• Grades fall at school.

How can you help?

• Accept that the fear in the child is real
• Listen to the child (sit next to the child and give them undivided attention)
• Answer questions you can and admit when you don’t have answers
• Give the child hope (Isaiah 43:5)
• As much as possible, don’t change child’s routine
• Discipline as usual and help them maintain the usual boundaries within the home
• Watch out what you say and comments you make. Don’t give promises you can’t keep
• Children have limited vocabulary so may not express themselves well. Help them explain their feelings and thoughts. Let the child draw what they are feeling and thinking
• Pray with the child and other family members

Parents also need to discern if the child needs professional help and make it accessible to them.
For more information, feel free to get in touch with the children’s ministry at Nairobi Chapel.
Mrs. Wacuka Ngure – 0722722644
Pst. Bea - 0724697765
Pst. Kabibi -0722315252
Should you desire to learn more, we will have a children’s counselor coming to talk to us on Sunday the 10th from 8:00 to 10:00 am at the children’s tent. Please plan to attend.

Pastoral Care. Do you know of a member who has been bereaved recently, is in hospital, or has gone through trauma? Please, please call our office on 6752346/0725650737 or call Rose Muiu on 0722317961 to let us know. We want to care for our members well, but have no other way of knowing unless someone informs us. Once we know we do a great job at responding and being at their side . . . but only if someone let's us know first. So  if you have the news, take it upon yourself to alert us immediately.

Praise God with Catherine and Felix Namada for the safe delivery of their baby girl this week

Pray for Gitonga, who has recently lost two close relatives within a short time span.

Please continue to pray for the situation in the country. Continued insecurity and the new acts of violence being reported in various parts of the country even as mediation goes on are a sad reality. Please do continue praying for the situation here in the country.  Pray against the spirit of violence that is seeking to tear this nation apart.

Pray for the displaced people that they would find places of refuge and that indeed God would be their refuge and strength in this time of pain.

Pray that God would raise up strong leaders for Kenya; leaders who would selflessly seek for a solution to the crisis and truly deal with the issues. Pray especially that God would grant them the wisdom and strength they need to resolve the crisis.

Pray that God would work in the hearts of the mediating teams to put the interest of the nation before any personal ambition. Pray for our leaders, that they would not utter any words that would lead to an escalation of what we are already witnessing.

Pray for those who are causing death and destruction. Pray that they would realize that there will be a fair return for every act of cruelty before God. Pray for God’s justice.  Pray for hose who are being hurt, those who have witnessed horror and those displaced that God’s peace would surround them.

Pray that Christians will have the spiritual strength and wisdom needed to be a part of bringing peace and encouragement to those who are hurting and those who are causing the pain and damage.

'St. Francis of Assisi prayed:
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; when there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. 'May this continually be the prayer of every Kenyan.

Receptionist: Nairobi chapel is looking for a receptionist. This person must be saved and should have at least a two year working experience in the same capacity. Please send your application and CV to info@nairobichapel.org  by the 15th of February 2008.

Sermon CDs and DVDs: If you ordered sermon CDs or DVDs last year and have not collected and paid for them, please do so.  Effective this Sunday, we are requesting that you pay for sermon CDs and DVDs as you place an order and not on collection.

Prayer and Fasting: Please set aside next week (the 4th to the 8th from 6 am to 6 pm) as a full week of prayer and fasting for our country. We will break the fast with a church prayer meeting at the Sunday school tent on Saturday the 9th from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm.

Baptism: Are you a believer and have never been baptized? We will be having baptism on the 21st of March, 2008. A baptism class will run from the 24th February for four weeks. Please plan to attend.

New believers: For those who have recently been saved and those who have never had an opportunity for discipleship, we will be starting a new believer’s class from the 17th February 2008. Please sign up at the info desk.

Kesha: In response to the crisis we are in, all chapel churches will be holding a joint Kesha to pray together on the 22nd of February, 2008.  Venue will be communicated later.
Adiya Ladies: Next ladies breakfast meeting will be held on Saturday Feb 16th from 8-10am.