August 27, 2007

Another Book ¹

by Wendy • The Book Shelf

I finished most of the other books that I posted about earlier, so I am reading another book that was highly recommended: Here if You Need Me by Kate Braestrup. 

Kate is a chaplain for the Maine Warden Service (wildlife, fish and game) and in her book she talks about ministering to the officers as they do search and rescue missions and to the families who have suffered loss because of an accident happening in the outdoors.   Taken from a news article ‘The 45-year-old Braestrup shows up at the scene of drownings,
snowmobile crashes and search-and-rescue efforts for hunters and hikers
lost in the woods, comforting survivors and sometimes the wardens
themselves.’

The interesting thing and the most moving part about this story is that she ended up in the ministry because of her husband.  Her husband, a state trooper, wanted to be a chaplain as a second career but was killed in the line of duty when his police cruiser was struck by another vehicle.  Kate picked up her fallen husband’s dream and became a chaplain herself.  It’s an incredible story.   

This book has been a page turner and even though I am a fire chaplain, I relate to so many of the experiences and the thoughts that she has.  Although I do not carry the same spiritual/religious belief systems, I feel that her words really capture the overall spiritual aspect of this line of work.  She sounds like an incredible chaplain that I would want to be with me should ever I need a chaplain.  I am glad that this book is out there because there aren’t too many good books written about chaplaincy work, especially in the emergency services.

Great job Kate Braestrup!