Mental Health Professional Training Take 2

 Today we led a conference for mental health professionals working as community health workers, counselors, and administrators. The workers came to Into Abba’s Arms for three presentations on drugs, alcohol, and human trafficking presented by Dr. Benjamin Keyes and some of his students. After each presentation the professionals were divided into three groups for discussions about what they had just learned. 

During the first small group about drugs and alcohol group members discussed personal experiences. Each group member seemed to have a member from his or her immediate family who struggled with substance abuse, primarily alcohol abuse. One woman even shared her current struggle related to her husband’s alcohol abuse. This substance abuse started prior to their marriage, however he promised to stop abusing alcohol. To this day he has not kept his promise. She shared that he started physically abusing her when she was pregnant with their daughter. He has not abused his baby girl but continues to physically abuse his wife. Recently she went to her pastor and shared about her husband’s alcohol addiction; she did not share about her husband’s physical abuse. Having the opportunity to talk to the group as well as talking to some members from our team seemed to be beneficial since she has not shared this trauma with many people.  Other groups during the first group session discussed the alcohol abuse prevalence and how it has negatively affected entire families and the community. Many professionals mentioned how death, loss of relationships, broken families, theft, and robbery have been the result of the use of alcohol among the population.

The second group discussion was focused on relating the information they had learned about substance abuse, primarily alcohol, to their professions.  During this group’s session the question arose “Does alcohol use make someone become a rapist?” Discussion followed about the high prevalence of raping babies and bestiality. The overwhelming pain was evident in the faces of the group members. Their countenance completely changed to that of sorrow and shame. During this group session, another group was made aware of the relationship between alcohol use and the initiation into adulthood. Clarity was given by the group members to our team about the initiation process. The cultural initiation process into adulthood includes the exposure to drugs, alcohol, and deviant sexual behaviors. This occurs over a 10-day ceremony where the older men in the community give the boy who is being initiated an excessive amount of drugs and alcohol. Also, the older men may perform sexual acts upon the boy or bring him a prostitute. Parents often say that their child returns as a different person with substance addiction. The group members shared that they believe educating children about substance abuse prior to this initiation would help prevent a majority of substance abuse problems. Some Christian parents do not allow their children to participate in this type of initiation. There are some churches that provide another type of initiation into adulthood; however these Christian initiations are not as popular. The group discussed ways to educate people about the negative effects of the cultural initiation ceremonies as well as other healthy ways to initiate children into adulthood. The third group mentioned ideas for ways to educate the people about substance abuse through the use of concerts. During their conversation, the group facilitators were made aware that many of the male professionals believe that any alcoholic abuse was because of the females. Many of the men stated that if women did not make their lives so difficult then they would not have a reason to drink.

The third group session was to be a reflection upon the human trafficking presentation. Walking into this group, there was a heavy feeling. During this group time it seemed like many of the members of one group were particularly stunned and overwhelmed by the information that they had learned. One woman asked “What is it that makes a full grown man want to have sex with a little baby? What parent would sell their child into the sex industry?” It became apparent that many in the group have known people who have taken “good jobs” in Saudi Arabia and have not returned nor been in contact. They seemed absolutely devastated when learning that human trafficking is a worldwide issue and that even the “great” United States suffers from this problem. Another group discussed ways to prevent human trafficking through the use of educating young women on ways that they can avoid trafficking. It was also apparent in this group that the men view the women as the cause to human trafficking. They believe that the women sell themselves and their children on purpose and it would not be an issue if they did not sell themselves. Within another group during the session it was evident that some of the people had personal experience with threats of human trafficking. One woman in particularly recalled a time when she was almost trafficked and she was very thankful that her mother intervened. This topic seemed to weigh heavy everyone’s heart.

During debriefing we had a lot to discuss. The members of our team experienced a variety of emotions throughout the day, ranging from sadness, irritation, anger, and a desire to see God heal and transform the people and the culture. It seemed like today has been the hardest day yet because there is so much change that needs to happen and this change will take time. Women are still seen as second or less than men and with this perspective; many women are abused without anywhere to go for help. One change that has occurred over the past year (since the previous Regent Trauma Team was here) is that churches are less likely to excommunicate a woman for leaving her abusive husband. Now, a woman needs to communicate her situation with her husband to her pastor prior to leaving so that she may remain a member of the church. It is encouraging to hear about this change; however, we are continuing to pray for more change to occur. We greatly appreciate you joining us in this prayer. Please continue to pray for us as we continue to fight against cultural norms and minister to these people. We’ve been told that today is a foretaste to what we will be doing this coming week with the pastor’s, women’s, and men’s conferences. Thanks for praying…we are now going to eat chocolate and listen to worship music. J

- Kelly and Sarah

Making an Impact

The morning started out quite chilly and required a fair bit of bundling to stay warm.   The day livened up around lunchtime with the sun coming out and warming us all up.   Our team was divided up into three groups again and worked with three very different populations.  We worked in the IDP camp again, another school, and the IAA (Into Abba’s Arms) staff. 

Dr. Keyes took Dr. Harris-Keyes’ group to the IDP camp today. We had a good conversation with the chairman of the camp. He readily welcomed us and thanked us for coming. We were also welcomed with open arms into several homes, where the people shared stories of how they came to the camp. One of the homes we entered was the home of a man who became a pastor when he came to the camp. He saw a need for community and faith to be built so he decided to meet that need. The pastor intends to attend the pastor trainings we will host next week. Another woman shared a story of how she was burned when her home was set on fire because of the conflicts. The team was able to share relaxation techniques and pray with her. She was very appreciative. Overall, the connections that were made today through sharing stories helped us appreciate the individuals in the midst of such hardship and poverty.

Dr. Harris-Keyes took Dr. Keyes’ group to St. Christopher Secondary School. Dr. Harris-Keyes came to this school last year and taught the students about self-esteem and the teachers about the effects of trauma in the classroom. This visit we taught the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th form (which is equivalent to grades 9^th-12^th). The topic we taught the students was conflict resolution. We also had the opportunity to teach the teachers how to work with disruptive students. The teachers and students were very thankful. The teachers shared with Dr. Harris-Keyes how they took the information they learned last year and created lesson plans and have been using them continually with the students. The administrator has even changed how she and the teachers interact with the students and their parents as a result of what she learned last year. They greatly appreciated this year’s topics as well. The kids were really involved, well disciplined, and even took notes. The teachers had a thirst for knowledge and excellence. The teachers really appreciated the classroom management techniques.

Dr. Reese’s group worked with the IAA staff throughout the day.  Presentations on hope as well as grief and loss were found very helpful for them.  We led small groups and gave each person the opportunity to share their thoughts, feelings, and life experiences related to hopelessness and hope. They have all experienced great amounts of loss in their lives and have struggled with maintaining hope and wrestled with overcoming grief and loss.   Many were moved to tears as they listened to the presentations and discussed the losses they have experienced.  The staff found it so helpful to know it was ok to grieve and cry. Many discussed the hope they have in God as well as the hope they have found from one another.

During debriefing, a few people shared how their experiences using their counseling skills here has been very affirming and confirming to them personally. At this year’s graduation commissioning ceremony of Regent, the speaker shared how we are to be good stewards of the education we have received. It is truly an honor to share the counseling skills we have learned from Regent with the Kenyans. It is encouraging how receptive and appreciative the people have been to what we have shared and how they have applied what was learned last year. Thanks again for all your prayers for our health, interactions, traveling mercies, etc.! We greatly appreciate them!

-Jen, Kelly, & Sarah

Abounding Joy in the Hearts of the Children

 We started the day off with a sweet time of singing and praying. It was a fun time of fellowshipping with the Lord and one another before splitting up in our teams. Dr. Keyes’ group went to the IDP camp today. Dr. Harris-Keyes and Dr. Reese brought their teams to Githinji Primary School with 2, 000 students where we educated about 1000 of the students about self-esteem.

Dr. Benjamin Keyes group visited the IDP camp today. Due to the last group’s experience, we seemed to be a little more prepared for what we were to encounter. Driving up to the camp, all you could see were rolling hills, trees, and many tree stumps. Nestled in the middle of this beautiful land were the small huts that many people call home. Walking up to the camp, we were immediately spotted by children who hesitantly made their way to our sides. We began by talking to the elder of the people so that we could walk freely and with his permission. During the time there our group was split into two, each with their own interpreter. We were welcomed into many homes to counsel people. It was a humbling experience to not only be welcomed into their homes but we were also given a glimpse of the reality of their lives. It seemed that most people were content with their lives until they remembered all of the losses they had suffered. Many of the people told stories where everything was suddenly taken away from them and they were forced to move into the IDP camp. Not only had people lost their land, homes, and material goods; many had also lost spouses, children, and friends. Many of the women have been left to provide for their children and grandchildren on their own. A lot of children are unable to attend school to due having to work to provide for their family. Many families also told stories about suffering from domestic violence and sexual abuse. Despite their loses and hard lives, many stated having continual hope that the Lord would provide for them.  

The groups that went to the school thoroughly enjoyed themselves. There is nothing quite like the joy and laughter of children. The students at this school were especially respectful and very responsive to the teaching about self-esteem.  Our main purpose in sharing on this topic is due to the amount of domestic violence and sexual abuse that the children are face on a daily basis.  We shared our own personal stories related to self-esteem and the children participated by sharing their goals, accomplishments, and ideas about low and high self-esteem. In each class, we had the children pat themselves on the back, stand, and say, “I feel good about me.” The teachers and local pastors (who translated for us) told us that they felt like the students learned a lot and that they themselves (the teachers and pastors) learned a lot that they could apply personally as well as in their teaching.   You could see the children beginning to understand the importance of self-esteem and the need to talk to their parents, teachers, or pastors when they feel many symptoms of depression.

During debriefing there was a common thread of each team member experiencing joy in the children, regardless of whether they were from the IDP camp or the primary school.  Everyone on the team is doing well and thoroughly enjoying their time and experiences.  Please continue to pray for opportunities, continued health, and traveling mercies. 

-Jen, Kelly, & Sarah

Mental Health Workers and Police Officer Training Day

After a pancake and sausage breakfast we headed about an hour from base to a town called Githunguri.  We separated into two different groups rather than three today.  It was a blessing and a joy to impart presentations and teach practical skills to police officers and medical professionals. 

Dr. Harris-Keyes’ group joined Dr. Keyes’ group and presented on Substance Abuse and Human trafficking to Medical professionals.  The professionals seem to have had very limited knowledge about substance abuse and how to effectively treat it. They were very interested in the information that we presented to them and expressed a strong desire to learn. After the first presentation, the group was broken down into three small groups. During the small groups, it became evident that Christianity and religion are welcomed topics. Most members saw effective substance abuse treatment being led primarily by pastors and the church. It was also evident that most of the males saw it as their place to lead the conversation whereas the women tended to be more hesitant in speaking. This was a consideration when leading the group. A second lecture on alcohol abuse brought to light spiritual myths that many believed. It was significant that the small group felt safe enough to share personal stories regarding substance abuse and sexual addiction issues. In the end they were able to take home practical information regarding substance abuse and human trafficking and seem eager to share their knowledge with their communities.

Dr. Reese’s group worked with police officers and focused on presentation topics such as Crisis intervention, PTSD, compassion fatigue, and self care.    We were able to break out into smaller groups and get a better understanding of the individual issues that each officer was faced with on a day-to-day basis.   Each of their stories were filled with unique stressors and challenges, such as not being fully briefed on overwhelming assignments and constant required transfers that keep many away from their families.  They do not have access to mental health care or an outlet to process their traumatic experiences or develop strong support groups.  Coping skills was an area they really needed practical training in to develop healthy responses and resiliency.  Many officers felt empowered by the techniques they were taught today.    Our contact, who was a local psychologist, was very surprised with the response and openness that the officers portrayed throughout the day. 

During our evening debriefing we learned that our contact Patrick from last year was able to implement many of the techniques and trainings from last year.  He has seen tremendous growth in his church and in his communication skills.  

- Jen, Kelly, Maria, and Sarah

Jambo from Kenya!

Jambo from Kinangop Kenya!

After a delightful breakfast at the hotel, we travelled through Nairobi to our home base, Into Abba’s Arms Orphanage. We were greeted warmly by the staff, and settled into our rooms. We had a great lunch, a quick briefing and were off to three different sites; the IDP camp, community outreach and training Into Abba’s Arms staff.

Dr. Reese’s group went to the IDP camp which was situated about one mile off the main road, and was composed of wooden 13 x 13 foot shacks issued by the government, to house 850 families (roughly 4,000 people) on 4 acres of land. There is a 23 percent rate of HIV infected refugees living there and many of the children were sick. We were warmly received by these families, they were very happy to see us. We were later informed that we are the only group that visits them except for political leaders that visit them during elections. These politicians visit promising them their own land, and after being elected do not fulfill their promises. This has been going on for 15 years. Despite this, these people have great hope and resilience, believing that the Lord will provide land for them.  We were invited into a home by Cecilia for tea, and played with puppets, sang songs and blew bubbles with the children to engage them and help bring conversations to deeper issues. The children were shy at first, but quickly warmed up to us, following us as we went throughout the camp. Many of the kids fought to hold hands with us, while babies cried at the sight of us because they had never seen white people before. Many of the children were curious about our color, and would rub our hands to see if the color would come off.  Sadly, 50 percent of the children we interacted with today will not make it to their next birthday due to the conditions and illnesses.  A group of women played drums, sang, and danced for our group as they dance before the Lord at church. Overall it was a great experience, they touched our hearts and we would love to visit them again.

Dr. Keyes group led lectures for Into Abba’s Arms staff.  These lectures were on integrity and how to deal with loneliness in an effective way. Small groups were offered after the lecture on integrity for the staff.  It was noted that the larger group was less likely to verbalize concerns. This was dealt with by separating into smaller groups which offered greater opportunity for conversation amongst the members. The leaders noticed that when the men and women were separated in groups, they felt more likely to discuss the topic. This was an interesting cultural dynamic to observe and work through.  The second lecture on loneliness was co-led by two students. This lecture seemed to be more applicable to the staff, and they were more engaged. Many of the staff had questions regarding signs and symptoms of loneliness of children at the orphanage. The staff was able to leave with pertinent information and techniques to be used in providing care to the children.  This was a good learning experience for the group in working with men and women from a different culture.

Dr Harris-Keyes group went out into the community. They encountered women who expressed concerns with anxiety. One of the students was able to teach a relaxation and breathing technique as well as a visualization technique. The students were encouraged when they saw this woman teaching these coping skills to a group of women shortly after. Some of the women remembered our group from last year and the women’s conference we held last year. They were very excited to know that we will be holding it again this year. They are looking forward to coming again due to the great impact the conference had on their lives.

At the end of the day we were tired, but excited by the experiences we have had so far. The relationships that were formed last year have been crucial and the people are very grateful that we have come back. At our debriefing, our team felt that we were all able to instill hope in our interactions with all the groups. We are encouraged and looking forward to sharing God’s love by providing by providing mental health services to the medical professions and national police force tomorrow.

- Jen, Maria, Sarah