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In March this year one of the worst cyclones on record to hit Africa and the southern hemisphere ripped through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, killing over 1,300 people and leaving many more missing.
The cyclone traumatised whole communities, with many people displaced by flooding, losing their homes and livelihoods. Mothers’ Union has so often been the first point of call when disaster strikes because we are uniquely embedded in communities to provide ongoing support and to continue journeying with those affected as they seek to heal, recover and rebuild.
Mothers’ Union in southeast Africa saw this disaster as a call to action. With support from Mary Sumner House and funding from the Community of St Andrew Trust, provincial workers from Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe set up trauma healing workshops for clergy members and Mothers’ Union leaders from the worst affected communities.
Two workshops were held; one in Blantyre, Malawi for participants from Chikwawa in Malawi and Chipinge and Chimanimani in Zimbabwe; another in Beira, Mozambique for those from that community. The workshops were 4 days long each and were led by an American Bible Society (ABS) certified trainer. They covered 5 core lessons following the ABS trauma healing curriculum which looks at how the church can help in times of crisis. The lessons are: ‘If God loves us, why do we suffer?’, ‘How can the wounds of our hearts be healed?’, ‘What happens when someone is grieving?’, ‘Response: Taking your pain to the cross’ and ‘How can we forgive others?’.
Participants of the workshops are now equipped to set up trauma healing groups in their communities to support those dealing with the psychological effects of the cyclone and all aspects of trauma. Because those who were chosen to be trained are leaders embedded in the most affected areas, they will able to identify and reach the most vulnerable. In collaboration with the church they are dedicated to cascading their newly acquired trauma healing skills within the community to reach all those that need support.
Please join us in praying for all those affected by Cyclone Idai who are rebuilding their lives, all those who lost loved ones or who have been injured that they would feel the loving comfort of our Lord now and always.