Day 2 Recap: Community of Practice

The second day of the Trauma Healing Institute (THI): Community of Practice on December 11, emphasized the beauty in brokenness and how each participant serves as a light to their places. Participants were reminded of their unique role in sharing hope, healing others, and brightening their communities. Through the THI Program, they are equipped not only to help others but also to draw people closer to Christ. The program serves as a powerful tool for evangelism, as everyone has their own story of brokenness, which can be a starting point for learning about and experiencing God. The day also featured the sharing of best practices and powerful testimonies.

Devotion

The day began with a scripture reading by Mr. Dipankar Rema, Program Officer from the Bangladesh Bible Society, followed by a devotion led by Ptr. Mel Cartera, a THI Master Facilitator. Ptr. Mel drew inspiration from 2 Corinthians 4:1-15, reminding participants that they, like jars of clay, are fragile and vulnerable, yet chosen by God. Despite being broken and wounded, God can make them into something beautiful and valuable—just like the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold, making it even more beautiful. Ptr. Mel emphasized that their wounds can make them stronger, more compassionate, and more Christ-like, as Jesus Himself endured pain and suffering. The devotion concluded with the song, The Potter’s Hand by Hillsong Worship.

Program Updates and Testimonies

Mr. Sampathawaduge Wilakshitha Ashendra Mendis, Senior Manager of HR Admin, CPR & IT from the Ceylon (Sri Lanka) Bible Society, shared updates on the Trauma Healing Program in their country. Despite the small percentage of Christians in Sri Lanka, the program has successfully partnered with churches and schools to support not just adults but also teens and children. He openly discussed the challenges they face and how they have strengthened the program through best practices. Ptr. Simplicio C. Alvarez Jr., a THI Training Facilitator from Evangelical Christian Outreach Fellowship International, Inc. (ENCOFI), shared his testimony and best practices as well for conducting the Trauma Healing ministry in their community.

Launch of the End-to-End Program

The day’s highlight was the launch of the End-to-End Program, presented by Mrs. Perry Cartera, General Secretary of the Philippine Bible Society (PBS). She shared how the Trauma Healing Program has reached nearly every region of Mindanao through partnerships with the churches and through the individuals who God chose for the ministry.

Mrs. Perry encouraged participants to view themselves as lights in their communities, capable of helping others find hope and healing. She stressed that when churches become places of healing and restoration, they shine brighter and draw more people to God’s love. 

She explained how the two Bible Society programs—the Trauma Healing program and the Proclaimer program—can be wedded together so that churches can minister to people in their communities from woundedness (the starting point) to discipleship (the end point).

The Trauma Healing program guides wounded people from recognizing and understanding their pain, to healing, to bringing their pains to Jesus, to forgiving others and themselves, to rebuilding their broken hearts, and to developing hearts that are resilient and better able to handle future pains and losses.

The Proclaimer program can then come in to help them know the Bible and Jesus more, enable them, by God’s grace, to really trust Him, and develop the daily habit of meditating on the Bible individually, studying it in groups, and applying it in their lives. 

By God’s grace, the TH-Proclaimer End-to-End Program will help churches see transformed lives, from wounded hearts to disciplers. This is because the program is structured to enable participants to help form and lead Bible study groups at certain stages of the program.

Mrs. Perry encouraged the participants to propose the End-to-End Program to their churches as a starting point for evangelism and then disciple-making, emphasizing that pain and brokenness are universal experiences, making this ministry deeply relatable and impactful.

If a church adopts the program, certified facilitators can lead the TH Group Healing Sessions (GHS). After completing a three-day GHS with a group of 6–12 participants, facilitators can transition to Bible Listening Group (BLG) sessions. In these sessions, the group will listen to Scripture once a week for three months using an audio device called the “Proclaimer,” followed by discussions to deepen their understanding of God’s Word and draw closer to Him. This process ensures that when participants face painful situations again, they have the Word of God planted in their hearts as a source of strength and comfort.

Mrs. Perry then shared a personal story of how God’s Word gave her strength during a challenging health journey, encouraging participants to plant God’s Word in their hearts and in the hearts of those they will be helping, so the Scriptures will be their source of strength and renewal during difficult times.

After the GHS and BLG sessions, facilitators will then have the opportunity to disciple the participants, encouraging them to assist in future BLGs with new groups. This approach fosters a cycle of healing, spiritual growth, and multiplication of disciples within the church.

With this, the End-to-End Program envisions helping churches to plant more churches as the groups expand and multiply across communities. Through the exponential growth of healing groups and discipleship, new churches can be established, creating more spaces for people to encounter God’s love and restoration.

To support implementation, Mrs. Perry assured the conference participants that PBS would provide necessary materials, including the “Proclaimer” for Bible Listening Groups and free copies of the New Testament. These resources are intended to complement the End-to-End Program and ensure its effectiveness.

Finally, participants were instructed to develop plans for implementing the program in their churches. They were encouraged to carefully consider the provided timeline and resources, enabling them to facilitate the program as efficiently as possible for the most optimal effectiveness of the program. 

Participant Reflections

The day included a time for participants to openly share their reflections and testimonies. One particularly moving insight came from Ptra. Share May Salip, an Apprentice Facilitator from Davao:

“I learned the value of resilience and how it requires a strong foundation in God’s Word. Before [the THI Group Healing Session], I was in denial about my pain. After [the session], I began to see my pain with purpose. While I know there is always a possibility of being hurt again, I now know what to do. Resilience has become my goal—the standard for following Christ. Pain had dimmed my confidence, light, and joy, but through this program, God not only healed me but also reignited my passion to share this healing with others.”

Closing Ceremony

The day ended with a candle-lighting ceremony, symbolizing the light that each participant carries within them. They are reminded that this light is not just for their own healing but for sharing with their churches and communities, spreading hope, and illuminating the way for others to find healing and restoration.