From the Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
For the last three or four years I have been involved as a chaplain with the Wallaceburg Veterans and Families Support Group that meets monthly to assist those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or operational stress injury (OSI.)
The group also includes family members of those who are struggling with these issues.
Remembrance Day is coming up this week and the day serves as a reminder for those of us who have never experienced the trials and conflict of war to consider and give thanks for those men and women of uniform who have faithfully served our country in the past, but also in the present.
The irony for those who suffer from PTSD or OSI is that they simply can’t forget, even though they would like to.
Simple things like a thunderstorm or a community fireworks celebration can quickly trigger painful memories taking the sufferer, in their mind, right back to the battlefield.
The pain of that past experience is then relived and revisited, picking the scab off a wound that is so hard to heal. As you head to the Remembrance Day service this year why not pause at some point in this week to pray for those who suffer from PTSD and OSI.
Give God thanks for their valiant service to our country and ask Him to heal these people of their invisible wounds.
Jesus knows their pain and can help them, so let’s cry out to Him on their behalf.
What better time to think about this than at this time of solemn remembrance.
– Photo: From left, Doug Beresford, Rob SImpson, Brian Horrobin.
– Photo credit: Deb Houle Simpson
