MOUNT LEBANON, Texas (ABP) — Emotional and spiritual support for parents of special-needs children is all around them, but they have to take advantage of those opportunities, according to a chaplain who ministers to mentally challenged people.
Parents can find help and support in churches, universities and websites, said Jim DeHoog, chaplain for Mission Road Ministries in San Antonio, Texas.
Churches provide what can be the easiest source of people who want to help, DeHoog said. Out of a sense of Christian love, believers should want to help.
“Sunday school, Bible study groups are areas where [parents] can find support,” the chaplain said during the Baptist General Convention of Texas Special Friends Retreat.
Echoing the experiences of many parents, DeHoog explained Christians wanting to help is not the same as people doing it. Believers may wish to serve but too often are afraid of doing something wrong with the child. They need help understanding how to care for someone with special needs. That's where parents can help.
“We have needs for emotional support, and sometimes the church and people around us don't know how to meet the need,” he said. “We need to educate others.”
That educational process may take an extended time, but DeHoog encouraged parents to commit to it. If a person is dedicated to helping, they can greatly benefit parents.
A number of communities are starting groups for parents of special-needs people, DeHoog noted. Those groups can be good places for parents to network with others. If a town does not have such a group, a parent may want to start one.
Some universities have special-education programs that require students attain practical experience with special-needs people, DeHoog added. Those schools typically either work with a group or start their own efforts to provide an avenue for that service.
Numerous websites are specifically tailored to parents of special-needs children, DeHoog said. They include chat rooms, literature, book reviews and message boards that provide parents a gathering place.
“I know it doesn't express the emotion,” he said. “You can't hear the emotion, but they can be helpful.”
-30-
— Photo available.