Yesterday I delivered the first day of 360Life training to a group of 15 – 20 Burundian prison chaplains, church leaders, and folks who have various roles in the mental health and psychotherapy world. So, my imposter syndrome levels were on high alert: I’m not trained in theology, nor psychotherapy, nor chaplaincy. But I do know my 360Life materials very well, and I believe in them, and I hung on to the fact that I was invited to Burundi based on the experience and recommendations of others who have gone through the training in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya etc.
The feedback at the end of day one was very good: they liked the simple, straightforward approach that had a scientific basis but wasn’t bamboozling in complicated terms and principles. And they all said how much they had learnt. So it all felt good in general. But there was one issue that did leave me feeling apprehensive for today, and that was the very strong assertion made in particular by the most senior (in age and hierarchy) of the church leaders present. As far as he was concerned, mental health issues and illnesses are all demonic by nature, and should be treated solely with bible-based prayer and exorcisms.
I had been warned by one of the other participants, who is not a church leader, that this might come up, so I was kind of prepared, but still the moment of having to respond was somewhat daunting. I can’t actually remember what I said yesterday, but I must have got away with it, because the church leader came back today for more training. However, always at the back of the mind was whether another challenge was going to come. It was a bit nerve-wracking!
God had it in hand though – the questions did come, from that church leader and from others, and each time the response that I gave seemed to be a satisfactory one for them. I have to say that I was very grateful for the presence of the translator, as that bought me praying and thinking time before having to give my answer, but I am even more grateful to God for giving me the right words at the right time.
As well as demon-related explanations for mental health illnesses, we also touched on various aspects of wellbeing including as seen from a UK perspective compared to a Burundian perspective. At one point I told them about the 5 Ways of Wellbeing, and the fact that it includes connecting with others. The Burundians were aghast that we in the West have to be told that to find wellbeing we need to go out and be with others – they couldn’t believe that there were places where people are so lonely and isolated that they don’t naturally connect with others.
The role of the church, the demise of Christianity in UK, the reality of living in a multi-faith country, the challenge of having corrupt people in power (that was more Burundi than UK, but I did identify with some of the issues), the challenge of being a country on the receiving end of a capitalist, self-serving global north….. these were some of the topics that cropped up at various points along the way.
In all of them, the conversations were challenging but productive, and at the end of the day, everyone was expressing thanks for such good teaching and such interesting and thoughtful conversations. Even the church leader came up and thanked me for my wise words, and my insightful views on the world which, he said, will make him a better and more community-focused leader going forward.
What an answer to prayer – thank you God for giving me the words.
Colossions 4:6 was the Bible-verse yesterday in the Bible App: seems very appropriate: ‘Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.’
respond was somewhat daunting. I can’t actually remember what I said yesterday, but I must have got away with it, because the church leader came back today for more training. However, always at the back of the mind was whether another challenge was going to come. It was a bit nerve-wracking!
God had it in hand though – the questions did come, from that church leader and from others, and each time the response that I gave seemed to be a satisfactory one for them. I have to say that I was very grateful for the presence of the translator, as that bought me praying and thinking time before having to give my answer, but I am even more grateful to God for giving me the right words at the right time.
As well as demon-related explanations for mental health illnesses, we also touched on various aspects of wellbeing including as seen from a UK perspective compared to a Burundian perspective. At one point I told them about the 5 Ways of Wellbeing, and the fact that it includes connecting with others. The Burundians were aghast that we in the West have to be told that to find wellbeing we need Yesterday I delivered the first day of 360Life training to a group of 15 – 20 Burundian prison chaplains, church leaders, and folks who have various roles in the mental health and psychotherapy world. So, my imposter syndrome levels were on high alert: I’m not trained in theology, nor psychotherapy, nor chaplaincy. But I do know my 360Life materials very well, and I believe in them, and I hung on to the fact that I was invited to Burundi based on the experience and recommendations of others who have gone through the training in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya etc.
The feedback at the end of day one was very good: they liked the simple, straightforward approach that had a scientific basis but wasn’t bamboozling in complicated terms and principles. And they all said how much they had learnt. So it all felt good in general. But there was one issue that did leave me feeling apprehensive for today, and that was the very strong assertion made in particular by the most senior (in age and hierarchy) of the church leaders present. As far as he was concerned, mental health issues and illnesses are all demonic by nature, and should be treated solely with bible-based prayer and exorcisms.
I had been warned by one of the other participants, who is not a church leader, that this might come up, so I was kind of prepared, but still the moment of having to respond was somewhat daunting. I can’t actually remember what I said yesterday, but I must thinking time before having to give my answer, but I am even more grateful to God for giving me the right words at the right time.
The role of the church, the demise of Christianity in UK, the reality of living in a multi-faith country, the challenge of having corrupt people in power (that was more Burundi than UK, but I did identify with some of the issues), the challenge of being a country on the receiving end of a capitalist, self-serving global north….. these were some of the topics that cropped up at various points along the way.
In all of them, the conversations were challenging but productive, and at the end of the day, everyone was expressing thanks for such good teaching and such interesting and thoughtful conversations. Even the church leader came up and thanked me for my wise words, and my insightful views on the world which, he said, will make him a better and more community-focused leader going forward.
What an answer to prayer – thank you God for giving me the words.to go out and be with others – they couldn’t believe that there were places where people are so lonely and isolated that they don’t naturally connect with others.
The role of the church, the demise of Christianity in UK, the reality of living in a multi-faith country, the challenge of having corrupt people in power (that was more Burundi than UK, but I did identify with some of the issues), the challenge of being a country on the receiving end of a capitalist, self-serving global north….. these were some of the topics that cropped up at various points along the way.
In all of them, the conversations were challenging but productive, and at the end of the day, everyone was expressing thanks for such good teaching and such interesting and thoughtful conversations. Even the church leader came up and thanked me for my wise words, and my insightful views on the world which, he said, will make him a better and more community-focused leader going forward.
What an answer to prayer – thank you God for giving me the words.
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