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Peace be with you and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. This month has been full of continued service in Trauma Healing. This time our initial equipping took us to Salt Lake City. We had the opportunity to tour the correctional facility (one of the largest in the states) where we were met with an enthusiastic administrative staff who is on board with seeing Trauma Healing Groups occur in their facility and the benefits it can have with the inmates, As a reminder, trauma can create a barrier in hearing the word of God and by bringing Trauma Healing inside the jails, where there is a highly traumatized population, we trust that God's Word will not return void and lives will be transformed and barriers broken down to hearing His Word. During the tour, one of the chaplains said something that has stuck with me these last few weeks. Her comment was that seeing the inmates in shackles always reminds her that we can visually see their bonds but we too carry invisible shackles-people just do not see what weighs us down. Her comment has made me reflect that God sees our brokenness and wants to break the chains in our lives-that His love is always greater than those shackles that keep us in captivity and that He is here to set the captives free-what a mighty God we serve!! The month of September leads me back overseas. I will spend 2 weeks in Ethiopia and then 2 weeks in Eastern Europe-Romania and Bulgaria. Part of that time will be spent facilitating a Trauma Healing Training in Northern Ethiopia as well as holding Awareness Sessions in Eastern Europe to determine the viability of Trauma Healing for the ministries there. Part of the time is to continue to do member care. I included a definition at the start of this newsletter. I would like to expand on that. In her book "Healthy, Resilient, and Effective in Cross-Cultural Ministry", Dr. Laura Mae Gardner defines member care as follows: "Member care is doing whatever it takes, within reason, to ensure that our workers feel cared for and supported by their agency and church, that they have the resources they need to work effectively, and to care well for themselves and their family. It is comprehensive – the ongoing preparation, equipping and empowering of workers for effective and sustainable life, ministry and work." Member care is an integral part to Ministry Care but honestly it should be a part that we, as the Body of Christ, should be playing as a whole. It is a privilege and honor to stand in the gap for missionaries in prayer but also to come alongside them in care to ensure they stay healthy on the field-not just merely surviving but thriving. Please pray for this part of our work in September as our paths will cross with a variety of missionaries. Please pray how you too can be a part of Member Care for the missionaries you know. Thank you for your love, care, and support of me as I continue to serve as a missionary as well. Testimonies from Salt Lake City Trauma HealingThis seminar has opened a whole new pathway for healing and effective evangelism. I have participated in many trainings. This group and process is easily one of the best I have ever had the privilege of being a part of. I really appreciate the high standard for evaluation and honor for the work. Thank you. A response to the question of how has the seminar impacted you? My own healing and self-discovery of trauma that has been in my heart since childhood. I thought I had dealt with it but obviously not. God is Faithful and Good. He healed me and met me at my need. I feel better able to minister to others and also face the future. Thank you training team. Praise God! This training taught me to have the courage to allow and trust someone with my trauma in order to be healed. It felt great to share with someone. I believe that God has made a way for me to be here. I am grateful and blessed. He has done a mighty work in me and I am Free!!!! A response to the question of what session that was most helpful? Lamenting. I needed to voice my complaint to the Lord for the death of my first born daughter. I was brutal because the trauma was sudden, unexpected, and violent (she was killed by a hit and run). I then needed to follow up by bringing this pain to the Cross. I experienced a wonderful healing. The process began from the beginning of the first lesson and was deepened with each lesson exercise. I praise the Lord for all of you.  Prayer Requests:
Ministry Care is a 501c3 organization, therefore, your donation will be tax deductible. You may donate one of 2 ways. You can make checks payable to “Ministry Care” and send them to:
Ministry Care 14934 Pacer Ct. Carmel, IN 46032 Or you can make an online donation, using Givelify, on our website at www.ministrycareinternational.org or click the button below If you have any questions feel free to email us as [email protected] Thank you so much! And may God bless you richly with His presence!
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AuthorMisty Bodkins has a Master's degree in clinical psychology. She has worked both stateside and internationally doing counseling, training, teaching, and research. Her passion is working with people who are in crisis. Archives
October 2024
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Misty Bodkins
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