We have had a fabulous last 2 weeks! It has been busy and a roller coaster of emotions, but it has been incredibly rewarding, healing, informative, and a growing opportunity for many of the ladies. My (Yolanda) good friend Rumbi and I get together every so often to visit, pray, encourage one another and discuss the struggles and blessings of ministry. She too is in ministry and her passion is counseling. This year she has been to Uganda a couple times to do a training seminar on how to lead healing groups for women who have experienced trauma. The training also addresses how these women can be effective in supporting others who are hurting within their own communities. Just over a month ago we discussed how she could facilitate such an event with both our Tuesday and Wednesday groups.
If you have been with JM2Z for any amount of time, you know that there are 3 branches within our ministry that deal with the whole person: physical, emotional, spiritual. We believe that it's essential to have an holistic philosophy of ministry in order to be effective in ministering to the whole person. This has always been our passion and our goal for JM2Z. The last 2 years have really seen these 3 branches come to fruition in a beautiful synergistic way. This Counseling Seminar was truly the missing piece in truly feeding the emotional branch in JM2Z.
Needless to say, the last 2 weeks were planned, prayed for and put into motion to best help heal and equip the women. The Healing Groups took place over a 2 week period - 3 days one week and 3 days the following week. This gave the women an opportunity to process all the information. We had full days with tea breaks and lunch included. Their younger children 5 and under also attended, so we had a couple babies, toddlers and little kids that were kept busy with the outside jungle-gym, coloring pages, toys, and treats.
If you have been with JM2Z for any amount of time, you know that there are 3 branches within our ministry that deal with the whole person: physical, emotional, spiritual. We believe that it's essential to have an holistic philosophy of ministry in order to be effective in ministering to the whole person. This has always been our passion and our goal for JM2Z. The last 2 years have really seen these 3 branches come to fruition in a beautiful synergistic way. This Counseling Seminar was truly the missing piece in truly feeding the emotional branch in JM2Z.
Needless to say, the last 2 weeks were planned, prayed for and put into motion to best help heal and equip the women. The Healing Groups took place over a 2 week period - 3 days one week and 3 days the following week. This gave the women an opportunity to process all the information. We had full days with tea breaks and lunch included. Their younger children 5 and under also attended, so we had a couple babies, toddlers and little kids that were kept busy with the outside jungle-gym, coloring pages, toys, and treats.
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Day one we addressed the topic of Suffering - why is there suffering, who causes suffering, why do good people suffer, and if God loves us why does He allow suffering? Day two addressed the topic of Healing the Wounds of our Heart - understanding the difference between physical and emotional wounds, how do we listen, and what the Bible teaches about handling our feelings. Day three addressed the topic of Grief - what happens when a person grieves, what is grieving, the stages of grief, cultural things that can make grieving more difficult, how to help others who are grieving, we looked at the story of Job and the different parts of a lament. Day four, the following week we addressed a specific topic, Helping Children who have Experienced Bad Things - how do these children behave, their emotions, their reactions, their behaviors, and how do we help these children. Day five addressed the topic of Pain and taking it to the Cross - the ladies wrote down their pain on paper, then literally burnt it at the foot of the cross and experienced the relief of leaving it all at the foot of the cross. This day was very interactive with much discussion, sharing and tears. The last day, the topic addressed Forgiveness - what forgiveness is and is not, how to forgive others, and why God requires forgiveness.
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After burning their pain and loss at the foot of the cross, they broke out into a song (which is the video below). The words they are singing are, "Heaven is coming. Heaven is near." They are looking forward to the time when they are in heaven and there will be no more pain or loss. Their emotion is quite visible.
Throughout the week we had skits, ice-breakers, games, discussion groups, prayer and worship times, art therapy, and a variety of activities that would reiterate the topic at hand or merely relax the women as we addressed incredibly difficult information that was very personal to them - rape, molestation, abuse, assault, poverty, HIV/AIDS, crime, death, loss, pain, hurt, suffering, trauma, crisis.... the list goes on. It was 2 weeks of incredibly emotionally draining material and conversations and yet the healing that took place was like watching physical transformations right before our eyes. Several women described their experience as feeling "lighter." Many left equipped and ready to assist others especially children within their communities. Everyone was given useful resources that are available within Chinhoyi - HIV/AIDS centers, support groups, free testing and counseling areas, child's abuse hotlines and locations, numbers for certain people in legal and judicial settings that offer free services, and churches that have partnered with non-profits that act as mediators in times of family trauma, etc.
It's impossible to share with you the many things that were discussed, addressed and all the results from the 2 weeks of training. At the end of each day the women would just say thank you over and over again. For most this information was brand new, the realization that they were allowed to feel pain, anger, grief AND still be a Christian. The fact that their culture did not support their grieving process and how we can start to change that within our realm of influence. It was obvious that women were leaving each day more empowered to help their own wounded hearts but also to assist in helping others heal as well.
The day before the last session we gave the women an opportunity to write down any questions they may have - each women came back the next day with pages and pages of questions. Their eagerness to learn and grow was evident. It was clear that time would not allow for ALL these issues to be addressed. Rumbi has already agreed to meet with the ladies possibly while we are gone to address these questions with them (this week we will meet - the 2 of us - to ensure I understand the many questions the women have raised and in order to be prepared to meet their needs as best I can when we arrive back next year).
It's impossible to share with you the many things that were discussed, addressed and all the results from the 2 weeks of training. At the end of each day the women would just say thank you over and over again. For most this information was brand new, the realization that they were allowed to feel pain, anger, grief AND still be a Christian. The fact that their culture did not support their grieving process and how we can start to change that within our realm of influence. It was obvious that women were leaving each day more empowered to help their own wounded hearts but also to assist in helping others heal as well.
The day before the last session we gave the women an opportunity to write down any questions they may have - each women came back the next day with pages and pages of questions. Their eagerness to learn and grow was evident. It was clear that time would not allow for ALL these issues to be addressed. Rumbi has already agreed to meet with the ladies possibly while we are gone to address these questions with them (this week we will meet - the 2 of us - to ensure I understand the many questions the women have raised and in order to be prepared to meet their needs as best I can when we arrive back next year).
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We have also already decided to have another 2 week seminar next year when we return. This time each lesson will be topic specific such as: HIV/AIDS, being a carer, rape/sexual assault, domestic violence, etc. These 2 completed weeks have prepared the women's hearts and assisted in their own healing. They have been given some tools to help others, but much more training is required for them to be fully equipped. Next year the specific topics will go a long way in addressing things that so many have dealt with or know of others dealing with such issues within their community. Will you start praying now for the event next year? Will you pray that the women will find complete healing from their wounded hearts? Will you pray for continued confidentiality within the group and that continued vulnerability will take place among them? Will you pray for protection from the enemy as he pursues them now that they've taken steps to heal, forgive, and let go? These women are obviously very vulnerable and fragile after such an intense 2 weeks and we will soon leave them for 6 months. Please pray for them fervently!
We have many stories we would like to share, however we will do some of that in person and not share these ladies most intimate stories here. There is such a thin line between wanting to tell you EVERYTHING and needing to protect the women and their immense faith in us. Will you be patient with us as we pray and decide what is appropriate to share with you?
We have many stories we would like to share, however we will do some of that in person and not share these ladies most intimate stories here. There is such a thin line between wanting to tell you EVERYTHING and needing to protect the women and their immense faith in us. Will you be patient with us as we pray and decide what is appropriate to share with you?
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