The excitement is palpable when we meet at the trauma care center in San Salvador one morning in November 2024. It is the first day of the final module of the trauma training for our partner churches in Central America. A review day is scheduled before the final exam in two parts. First, there is an oral examination, followed by a discussion of the submitted case studies, in which the participants use reports and videos to demonstrate that they can successfully put theory into practice.
This week marks the end of an intensive process lasting almost two years, during which the group has grown together and had many wonderful and enriching experiences together. It was great to see how much the participants have learned in these almost two years. The final projects are diverse: from group evenings for young people on the subject of the consequences of trauma to accompanying people who have experienced years of violence and are now able to experience attachment and security again. At the end, everyone was presented with their certificate at a ceremony.
“I have changed a lot during the training through my personal experiences and insights. Now I feel like a lamp that can shine and pass on its light to others.” This is how Nestor from Nicaragua summarizes his experiences.
“We are no longer who we were at the beginning, we have all grown. I don’t want this professional training to stop.” That’s what a pastor from El Salvador says.
On the last day, we determine what the participants need in order to successfully apply what they have learned and to be able to accompany people competently. We agree on continuing with regular exchange and supervision as well as in-depth seminars. We therefore arrange monthly online meetings to work on open questions and practical cases. The first meeting took place in January. A pastor who works mainly with the homeless in San Salvador brought in the case of a couple living on the streets. They have a baby and are both traumatized by years of violence. How can you protect the child in such a situation? How can the couple be stabilized and supported? Difficult questions to which there are no simple answers. The exchange helps the colleague and at the end she says: “I now have an idea of how I can organize the support. Thank you very much.”
And everyone realizes during this week that the real work only begins after the professional training has been completed.
You can find more information about our work in Central America here.
