Cape Breton storm victims receive visit from Billy Graham Ministries

The Thanksgiving Day rainstorm that caused millions of dollars in damage in the Cape Breton Regional Municipalityhas prompted Billy Graham Ministries to send a group of its chaplains to help with recovery efforts.

They're working closely with the evangelical Christian humanitarian aidorganization Samaritan's Purse, based in Calgary,which has set up a command post at the Salvation Army in Sydney.

Pat Miller of Montrealis one of three chaplains visiting homeowners affected by the flood damage.

'Hurting very badly'

"They're hurting very badly," she said. "They've lost a lotof their memories, a lot of their precious mementos.

"They've lost everything in their basements, in their homes, from photographs up to their fridges and stoves. Some people have lost everything," she said.

"As a chaplain we can go in,we can talk to them for an hour or so. We help them cope. Wehelp them see the hope behind all this devastation and we give them love and we pray with them."

Loss and trauma

The chaplain co-ordinator,Anne Gillies,spent time with those who lost their homes to wildfire last spring in Fort McMurray, Alta. She saidthe impact of Cape Breton's floodingis serious, both from the standpoint of material and emotional trauma.

• Cape Breton man faces flood disaster just months after Fort McMurray evacuation

"It's that same kind of scenario: 'This could never have happened to us.'"

Gillies saidthe chaplainsare specially trained to deal with difficult situations, tobring spiritual and emotional care to individuals following trauma. That training includes several courses in critical incidentstress management.

Trained to help

"If people have a faith base we're not here to push anything but people reach out for hope and for healing in times of crisis like this," she said.

One of the chaplains'first visits was to Tara Kennedy of George Street in Sydney, whosebasement was flooded and whose roof was severely damaged inthe storm.

"They were very concerned about how we were dealing with it emotionally," Kennedy said. "'How are kids were handling it?' It's heartbreaking when you see things that you saved your whole life,pictures of your kids,their first toysand you lose all that stuff.

"So they came and they kind ofreassured us that,you know, life does go on after the storm and you pick up and you build it better,and they make sure that you have good support systems,some friends,some family."

• 'This is unlivable, I'm just lost right now': Flood evacuees return home to mud and stink

The chaplains prayed for Kennedy, her children and her home, she said.

The groupexpectsto remain in Sydney until at least mid-November.