Our trauma healing program has two parts. The first section focuses on developing emotional strength, and the second teaches about forgiveness. Throughout the program, the counselors teach people how to connect to one another and counter stress with positive activity. In addition, stories and sharing times help the participants understand pain and trauma from another perspective while giving them the opportunity to discuss the events they’ve experienced.
The original Trauma Counseling curriculum that we use 1) was written by Christ-believing psychologists from Australia, 2) was peer-reviewed through publications at Boston University, and 3) for many years has been adapted and contextualized for the many people groups we serve throughout South Sudan and Uganda. Though founded in Biblical curriculum and implementation, the services and healing we offer to traumatized communities are not always presented as a “religious” function, but as a two-week process that works. By the end of the first week, forgiveness is introduced. How can you forgive if you have never been forgiven - in other words how can you give away what you have never received? They are introduced to the Great Forgiver!
Favor has discovered an immense demand and need for trauma counseling as both nations from top to bottom have experienced brutal oppression and injustice in generations of civil war. We are working at great speed to bring trauma counseling to many contexts. We have hosted reconciliation meetings between tribes with continuous violent raids. In both countries, we are bringing counseling to the military generals, government offices, the police force, the radio, universities and many more throughout these post-war nations.
Once the people have completed the trauma counseling, they are often ready and eager to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In most communities, this work precedes a 2-month long Portable Bible School to train and disciple.
.jpeg)
