Trauma Healing Continues

The second of three trauma healing workshops was conducted in January. Representatives from the Protestant church were asked to participate, as well as local teachers and some leaders from area village savings and loans associations. Having learned some lessons from the previous workshop, a few adjustments were made and things seemed to go rather well.

By this time in my Ugandan stay, I had made some friends and become familiar with local faces. Some of my friends ended up participating in the second workshop, which was probably the most difficult part of the workshop for me. When you’re dealing with traumatic issues in a format that encourages discussion and shared experiences it can be quite an emotional experience – not only for participants but facilitators as well. I remember one evening as I was laying down trying to fall asleep tears kept rolling on my face. My mind kept replaying the day’s events and some of the stories my friends had shared. My heart somehow felt broken by the reality I had listened to and I had to tell myself, “This is life.”

Not every moment was straight-faced and serious. In fact, this group of participants seemed to be the most comical. They were able to joke around with one another and laugh. And there was also lots of singing and clapping to hymns.

Again, individual participants expressed how they were learning to experience healing in their own lives. Healing. A process that takes time. I pray that for the men and women I shared that week with, that healing continues throughout their lives – no matter how long it takes. Amen.