death of children

Preview of Module 108


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Module-108Of all the journeys of grief perhaps one of the most difficult is parents who experience the death of their baby by various means such as miscarriage, stillbirth, and sudden infant death (SIDS), or when they experience the death of a young child, a teen or even an adult. This Module will provide you with an understanding of the death of children and the difficult grief patterns the parent will experience.

In this Module we have three individuals sharing concerning the death of children. The first is Pastor Jerry Waugh. From years of experience of family ministry he opens the window, sharing with us his Pastor’s heart. The second interview, also by Pastor Jerry is his interview with Aaron and PJ Odom in the loss of their infant child. The third testimony is from Jerry and Barbara Teboe sharing the death of their two infant sons while missionaries in Argentina. All three of these testimonies will challenge your heart as you minister to parents and family members in the death of their children.

Session 1 – Life Is Too Short

While no funeral is easy, some are not as difficult as others. In Session 1, we will deal with the issues of the death of children. It is the death of a child; anticipated or unanticipated, that seems to leave the griever with an almost heartbroken sense of loss and sorrow.

Session 2 – Grieving the Future

Within the grieving process for the loss of a child is the stark realization of a “future lost.” The death of a child leaves the parent with years of unfulfilled expectations of who their child would have become in personality and character. There are the unfulfilled expectations of birthdays and school years, and eventually marriage and grandchildren.

Session 3 – Ministering to Children

In Session 3 we spend some time sharing how to mentor children in the grieving process. All of our Modules are reflective towards adult mentoring, so this will be a change in presentation. Children experience grief just as any adult, but their perception of death is not yet concrete. We will share how children have “magical thinking.” They will ask questions, seem to be satisfied with an answer, and then respond back in a week or two with the same question, from a different perspective.