Healing Wounded Hearts

The ministry in Bujumbura was different than I expected. We visited with women who are being taught how to sew so they can provide for their families. Each afternoon the men on our team spent time with a group of young men that live on the streets. A man named Pastor Alban has been ministering to them for about a year. What began as preaching to a few lost boys has quickly turned into a growing ministry that now serves over 100 boys. However, I think the sessions that a counselor named Mary from Lafayette, Louisiana led were possibly the most powerful and life-changing thing we got to be involved with.

On Tuesday and Wednesday morning Mary gave a seminar to over 50 local women on how to deal with wounds and hurts. Many, if not all, of the women there had been wounded severely during their lives. Some were victims of the ’93 genocide. Some were raped or sexually abused numerous times. Some never knew their parents and never heard the words “I love you” until they met Jesus.

Each session was about 3 hours long. It was difficult to read the faces of the women that attended. I began to wonder if anything Mary said was really sinking in. However, when the women began to share their stories with us as the week progressed, I finally understood how powerfully God had worked in their lives. Many women began their journey of healing this week. They understood for perhaps the first time that God is someone they can trust. He loves them and He will heal their hurts.

There are millions of people in this world and each one has some kind of wound in his or her life. I thank God that He allowed us to share His love and healing with women who don’t have access to Christian living books and definitely can’t afford to attend regular counseling sessions. Instead He allowed us to meet them where they’re at and show them how to start healing a wounded heart.

~ Sam