Toward the end of March 2017, a team of LIFE International ITS volunteers and staff from Africa, North America, and Southeast Asia trained 26 men and women in Kathmandu. One of the volunteers wrote the following journal entries about the Abortion Recoveryand Redemptive Conversations trainings.
Day 1:
Sharing God’s love and learning about abortion recovery through the love of Christ was on everyone’s mind as we started our sessions with 12 men and 12 women from around Nepal. Many of them had traveled through the night to get to Kathmandu. Despite their fatigue they were spirited in conversation and in producing theoretical stories of abortions and their effects on women, men, and others around them. They continued to work with the team, through interpreters, to find the aspects of God’s character and the roles He has given to men and women, especially related to parenthood and the sanctity of life.
Women gathering crops on the plateaus of the Himalayan mountain range.
Day 2:
“God was working today,” was the first thing our host said at the debriefing this afternoon. He felt that the men and women attending the abortion recovery meetings were very transparent and willing to share some serious life stories today. There were 13 men and 13 women today for the sessions on Sharing Your Story, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Grieving and Restoration.
Buddhist monks receive gifts of food from followers.
Day 3:
Participants taught us how to say “Praise the Lord” in Nepalese. We did a great deal of that today, before and after the Walking in Freedom, Closing Ceremony, and Next Steps sessions. There was laughter and singing to start the day, followed by a review of the week’s teaching and the new sessions.
Nepalese women selling beaded jewelry.
Day 4:
Today we began the Redemptive Conversations curriculum.
We recommended that the participants call each other or email for support when struggling with personal issues, or if they are having a difficult time with counseling others.
The attendees were very responsive to the group sessions. They are dedicated to learning how to counsel and how to teach others what they are learning. Strong bonds are forming, and they are looking at working together and supporting each other.
Our host explained that most of the counseling will be done in homes or out-of-doors. The sessions tomorrow will be adapted to that model, especially for the practice sessions.
Kathmandu’s colorful, vibrant streets.
Day 5:
Today there was humor and a very serious conversation about body language, proper listening, supportive communication, and keeping calm and focused when things do not go as we hope.
The attendees absorbed a great deal of material today. Please pray for them to feel confident that they will be able to counsel and teach what they are learning.
It will be hard to say goodbye to all our new brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for them as they return to their homes and churches. Please pray for the team to have safety and good health as we wrap things up and each head in different directions to our homes.
The week has been an experience that only God could make. Your prayers have been answered in many ways.
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