Yesterday, at the close of the Congo Mission Network steering committee meeting I shared the good news that the advanced level training for “Healing Hearts” is planned to be held on the IMCK compound in Tshikaji during the first half of July 2019. It was suggested that I share this news and the need for additional funds to make this successful.
As you may remember last October a report on this program was shared at the Congo Mission Network. Since that time Christi has visited the trained facilitators of trauma healing in and around Kananga and Mbuji Mayi. She has been impressed with their commitment to implement what they learned with groups of children and with adults too. Further, we’ve been thrilled to see the ecumenical, indeed inter-faith, collaboration on the ground. So, in July, this group of 38 facilitators will come together again for the second round of training, from which those who meet the criteria set by the Congo Bible Alliance will be certified as trainers themselves. The 38 come from 14 different faith communities in the Greater Kasai, including ECC communities, the Catholic and Greek Orthodox Church, the indigenous Kimbanguist Church, Independent Charismatic Churches and the Islamic Community. Between them, in the past 8 months, they have already worked with each other to accompany over 1000 children and adults in their communities as they progress through the stages of dealing healthily with the traumas experienced. It is as these women and men train others to facilitate trauma healing that we anticipate an exponential jump in the number of children and adults who can be reached. Given the magnitude of the challenge, that growth is needed.
To refresh your memory of this program, below are links to some letters Christi and I have written about this program.
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/letter/healing-hearts-east-congo/
Although we do not have 100% of the funding yet for this program a decision has been made to proceed with the training in July. That is dry season and it is also the break between school years, so children can be available for the “children’s camp” that is part of the training. It looks like we are about $5000 short of the $36000 budget that is needed for this 10 day program in which 70 children join for half the time. For any of you who are willing and able to support this program, please know that gifts of any size will be helpful. Gifts can be made by check to:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
On the “note” portion of the check, please write “E052171 ECC/DFF Healing Hearts”. Please include with the check a covering letter indicating the account name, account number, the amount of the gift, and a concise note about the designation of the fund. Please send a copy of that covering letter to the Africa Office (paula.tibbs@pcusa.org), to Christi (Christi.boyd@pcusa.org), and to me (jeff.boyd@pcusa.org).
Also, please pray with us for the success of this program and the successful completion of the corrections to the draft copy of the children’s Healing Hearts workbook in Tshiluba. The draft copies of the booklet were printed at IMPROKA, the CPC’s printing press. It will be nice if the finished version can also be printed there.
Thank you for praying for this program.
Jeff and Christi
