Abstract

LAMBRECHTS, Suné; YATES, Hannelie  and  KOTZE, Manitza. Faith-based resources that can help children to thrive in their daily lives following their parents' job loss. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2024, vol.64, n.2, pp.240-256. ISSN 2224-7912.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2024/v64n2a6.

The Covid-19 pandemic had a great effect on people's health as well as their economic stability. The virus also led to the death of many people. Numerous restrictions were put into place to limit the spread of the virus. In South Africa, one of the restrictions was a national lockdown, which meant that most people could not go to work. This resulted in many people losing their jobs, including many parents. When parents lose their jobs, it does not only affect them, but it also affects their children. Parents 'job loss can sometimes lead to positive outcomes, but in most cases it will have a negative impact on children. There are many ways in which the job loss of parents can have a negative impact on the lives of their children. It affects aspects such as their health, safety, emotional well-being, school performance, future, and so forth. Because of this, it is important to determine how children can be equipped to make sense of their circumstances and to flourish in spite thereof. Practical theology is a field of study that works with cases such as these. The aim of this article is therefore to show, from a practical-theological perspective, how congregational children's ministry can be used to implement faith resources into children's lives to equip them to flourish by strengthening their relationship with God as well as their relationship with other people. This would include resources such as the Bible, prayer, and a biblical perspective on suffering as well as hope. Other resources include family, the church, friends as well as people who have gone through similar situations and who were able to handle it in a healthy way. All of these faith resources can be made a part of children's lives through congregational children's ministry. This would include things such as faith formation (Sunday school and youth groups), church services, mentorship, and the support of parents. When children are equipped through these ministries, it enables them to make sense of their circumstances and helps them to flourish in spite of such challenges.

Keywords : children; Covid-19; faith resources; flourishing; job loss; religion; resilience; social support; teenagers; youth ministry.

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