News Flashes

Dear All

I have been invited by the Anglican Church in Burundi to run a 3-day trauma healing training workshop for around 25 church leaders in the capital, Bujumbura, using materials specially produced to help church leaders care for members of their congregations who have experienced major trauma.

The organiser in Burundi is currently recovering from malaria…

"Healing the Wounds of Trauma - How the Church can Help"

in Bujumbura, 29th Sept - 1st October, 8.30am - 5pm

Topics:

If God loves us, why do we suffer?

How can the wounds of our hearts be healed?

What happens when we are grieving?

Taking our pain to the cross

How can I forgive?

Helping women who have been raped

Helping orphans of war and AIDS

Art therapy and writing laments

Participants expected: 2 representatives from each of the 6 dioceses, 4 police and army chaplains, 8 members of the Provincial Office, the principal of the Bible College, at least one bishop, and a couple of representatives of other organisations who have asked to come. About 25-30 people.

I will be sharing the teaching with Karen DeGraf from the US, who is a trained counsellor. We've never met, but she has worked as a Bible translator in Sierra Leone. She was recommended by two of the authors of the training manual that we will be using.

Workshop: To be presented in French. Involves a lot of interactive discussion and practical activates to help people remember what they learn and to find ways to express their pain. Much of that will happen in the local language, with feedback to us and to the big group in French.

Aims: To help church leaders understand the Biblical basis for trauma healing, and find healing for their own pain, so that they are equipped to help members of their congregations who have experienced major trauma and to pass on the training to local church leaders.

I'm excited at what God can do - and terrified. We would be so grateful for your prayers.

Best wishes

Hilary

Hilary Warner

hilary.w@cogges.eclipse.co.uk