Military families often find it difficult to find information or support when a loved one is deployed thousands of miles away from home in harm’s way. The Military Family Prayer Support Group, which will meet on the first Tuesday of the month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of Mahomet, hopes to bridge that gap in Mahomet.
“There are a lot of these groups around the country,” said event organizer Brenda Lindsey. “If you live near a military base, there is a lot more help for families. But because we are so far away, the families don’t have as many connections or support as they would if they lived near a base.”
Lindsey decided to organize the group when her son’s best friend, Tim Robberstad was deployed to Afghanistan for nine months. She also knows five other Mahomet families who have family members deployed.
After contacting the organizer of the National Military Mom Prayer Group and a Military Family Support Group at Saddleback Church in California, Lindsey realized the Mahomet Military Family Prayer Support Group could provide Mahomet families with the resources and support services they seek.
“These deployments are very stressful on the soldiers,” she said. “I think the stress carries over to their families. They don’t have a lot of information, and their loved one is in harm’s way. It’s helpful to have some ways to talk about (their thoughts and feelings). Not everybody understands what that’s like until it happens to you.”
The Military Family Prayer Support Group will host guest speakers to provide information on current events and programs available to soldiers once they return to the United States while also fostering a caring environment for friends and family members each month.
For more information, contact the Lutheran Church of Mahomet or call (217) 586-4786.
