Delitzsch/Eilenburg: Donations for emergency pastoral care – light in Advent 2024

Delitzsch/Eilenburg. “Our office is a voluntary position that government agencies cannot provide.” “That makes it all the more important that we exist,” says Ines Nartschik. She is part of the three-person management of the crisis intervention and emergency pastoral care team Delitzsch-Eilenburg (KIT) and thus makes the urgency of her work clear. Together with her team, she accompanies people who suddenly find themselves in critical life situations – be it the unexpected death of a relative or a traumatic accident at work. “The emergency doctor is responsible for organic illnesses, we are there for psychological first aid,” summarizes Andreas Stübner, also head of KIT. And everyone could need it at some point, no matter what denomination, religion or worldview they belong to.

This year, KIT is part of the LVZ campaign “A Light in Advent”. Donations are being collected for a training day that will provide additional training for team members.

“A Light in Advent” campaign: This is how you can donate.

A location somewhere between Dölzig and Doberschütz: In the middle of the hustle and bustle of police officers and paramedics, a yellow and blue jacket can be seen. Kristenintervention is emblazoned in black letters on the back. In the general hustle and bustle, a member of KIT stands calmly with those who no one else sees in such a situation: the relatives. He or she listens, remains silent or asks questions. Always what people need at that moment.

Working for others around the clock

In addition to their main job, twelve employees are currently involved in voluntary work. You are a nurse, secretary, psychologist, baker, sociologist, government employee or teacher. The work of the 14-person team is made possible by the leadership of Ines Nartschik, Andreas Stübner and Andreas Winkler.

Every week there are two employees of the KIT on-call service. The area of ​​operation is the old district of Delitzsch-Eilenburg, which extends from Dölzig to Doberschütz. They can be reached day and night via radio receiver and cell phone and ensure that the team is immediately ready for action when help and support are needed. On average, the team goes on one mission per month. Last year there were 34 missions in which around 70 affected people were cared for by KIT.

Many operations require many employees

“Based on our figures from the past few years, we see that the number of missions is tending to increase,” explains Nartschik. That’s why new members are always welcome. In order to be able to work, the applicant must be at least 25 years old, resilient and in good mental and physical health. Only after basic training, which is deepened in subsequent internships and job shadowing, is it possible to start active work, says the 62-year-old.

Since every assignment is different, it is important to train regularly as a team. To this end, Nartschik invites experts or uses further training courses from the state association for psychosocial emergency care. But larger training days always come with high costs. “Financing this through purely voluntary work is not possible,” explains the 62-year-old.

The expenses are intended to finance further training

The three-person management tried to organize a training day next year to mark the team’s 25th anniversary. Ideally, KIT would need around 3,500 euros for this. The aim is to improve communication in crisis situations with specialist lectures and workshops. At the same time, the event is intended to serve as a networking opportunity with other crisis intervention teams from the region. “Especially in larger operations, it is necessary to work together with other teams.” “It is helpful to have the same level of knowledge,” says Nartschik. They are thinking of the KITs from Leipzig, Torgau, Oschatz, Bitterfeld and Halle. “So not only we, but also guests from the surrounding teams benefit from the day.”

The Delitzsch-Eilenburg crisis intervention team is part of the district association of the German Red Cross and the Torgau-Delitzsch Evangelical Church District. Last year, the LVZ worked with the Arche multi-generational house in Eilenburg, among others, on the occasion of the fundraising campaign.

LVZ