Spiritual care in disasters is a hallmark of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), and by working with agencies such as the American Red Cross, PDA is better positioned to be of maximum service to those in need, PDA personnel assert.
Every faith-based disaster organization does spiritual care, but “what is different is that in PDA, rather than trying to set up our own separate spiritual care process apart from others, we see our role as working with other agencies and organizations including the Red Cross,” said the Rev. John Robinson, PDA’s associate for national response and a veteran staffer. PDA provides nonsectarian training and guidance that enables the community to become aware of what the issues are in spiritual care, specifically in disasters, Robinson continued.
PDA has been working with the Red Cross for several years, providing joint trainings for disaster responders and direct care to those in need. “We do side-by-side training with the Red Cross,” said Robinson. “It’s a natural fit.”