SHANNON’S CORNER
Hopelessness + Helplessness + Prolonged Stress = Burnout
Hopelessness is the feeling that nothing will change. Helplessness is the feeling of having no control, being powerless. Prolonged stress wears a person’s resilience down. Everyone and anyone can experience burnout. Over time you can help to relieve these symptoms of burnout by bringing change and hope, giving the person a sense of control and reducing stress. How many of you are burnout?
People who work and serve in caregiving roles are those who can experience compassion fatigue that impacts long-term ability to care for yourself and others. They can also be experiencing burnout at the same time.
Disruption of worldview + Reduced ability to feel sympathy & empathy + Exaggerated sense of responsibility = Compassion Fatigue
The first place to start to help in compassion fatigue is to reflect or notice how you are doing and to find a safe person to talk to about it.
This month, I got to co-facilitate a training on burnout and compassion fatigue for the leadership staff of one of the homeless shelters in NYC. Teaching them what causes burnout and compassion fatigue, the differences between the two and some tools of how they can care for themselves so that they can care for those on their team. Later this month, I will be co-facilitating a number of the staff group debriefs for the same homeless shelter.
Here is a peek into many whose stories I have heard this month who are in burnout. The work environment has expectations with deadlines to meet. The scope of work sometimes gets more as people have left and no one to fill their position so their work gets divided up with those who are left. The workday is going from one meeting to the next, answering one email after another, sending one text after another to work on one project after another from an unending pile of projects. They do not feel like they can delegate because they know that their co-worker’s plate is just as full, so they feel guilty that they are not able to do the work in the way they’d like because they have no time even though they work long hours each day. Some are running on empty, and others are running on fumes with no gas station in sight to refuel. Does your story resonate with their stories?
I debriefed a missionary couple who have been serving a number of years in NYC with a group of Muslim refugees. They were in the heart of the pandemic in NYC. The loss was devastating and great. They are in burnout and compassion fatigue. Being on home assignment away from NYC to raise funds what they have been feeling this entire year has hit them full throttle…depleted, empty, exhausted, hopeless, helpless, etc.
I co-facilitated an in-person debrief with two teen Missionary Kids at Common Ground Farm & Retreat. I was really praying for God to help me to connect with these teens so that they would feel seen, heard and understood as they shared their stories. There were bumps along the way but so grateful for answered prayer as I was able to connect with the teens. Trusting in the Lord in the process that they were able to process what was needed during our time together and for God to continue the process throughout the days, weeks and years to come.
Many times, as Jesus saw the crowds of people, he had compassion on them. Likewise, as I hear these stories, I have compassion on them because of my journey through burnout years ago.
BCM Peru update: Marlon shared that he presented my proposal to provide member care services to the missionaries of BCM Peru to his leadership. The leadership gave permission for Marlon to speak to all the missionary families of BCM Peru about what services I have to offer. Now just waiting to hear back to see how the news was received with the families. Here is a short video of what BCM Peru has been doing for their summer VBS program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEHGtkdQKNo
I have also been approached by another Christian organization called Oaks Counseling who is hoping to add a member care department to work with missionaries who need debriefing. I was asked to be a resource person for their Spanish speaking missionaries who need debriefing. Praying for wisdom and discernment.
Thank you for those who have given so generously and have joined this partnership! My goal is to raise at least $25,000 for this coming year 2021. This will help to cover living and ministry expenses so to reach my goal I still need to raise around $1,000. As you give, prayerfully consider the “monthly option”-
Donate Online! (follow the prompts)
https://www.worldoutreach.org/783
Mail Checks:
World Outreach Ministry, Inc.
P.O. Box B
Marietta, GA 30061
(Make check out to WOM, memo write Shannon Eaton #783)
Bill Pay: free option via your online banking
(use same information as checks)
PRAYER REQUESTS
Praise the Lord for sunshine!
Praise the Lord for fun going hiking!
Praise the Lord for making connections with those who I am meeting with!
Praise the Lord for BCM Peru leadership likes my proposal and gave Marlon permission to talk with the other families!
Pray for Miller/Eaton family as my Aunt Lois was called home to glory.
Pray for my finances. I still need to raise $1,000 to reach my goal $25,000 for year 2021.
Pray for community, friendships.
Pray for church community.
Pray for wisdom as I meet with people.
Pray for the 11 missionary families with BCM Peru.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
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