Category Archives: Rwanda

June 9, 2016 · 8:14 am

Is there a best practice in international trauma recovery work?


Yesterday I presented with Marianne Millen at the 2016 Humanitarian Disaster Institute conference here in Wheaton, IL. We reviewed some of the lessons learned through our experiences partnering with Rwandan institutions like the Bible Society (BSR) and with local counselors and caregivers. Check out our presentation here if you want to see our slides.

In short, partnerships are the way forward. But partnerships are not merely so that “we” can help “them.” True partnerships share resources, knowledge, and skills. They enrich both parties. I can attest that I have learned much from my Rwandan friends as they from me. I am a better therapist (and maybe teacher) from what I have received.

Partnerships rarely form quickly. They take time, can be messy, are likely more expensive than other intervention strategies. But as the Rwandan proverb says, “If you want to fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” And yesterday during a conference plenary, Sheryl Haw (Micah Global) had this to say, “partnerships are the realization of being on God’s mission and not our own.”

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August 18, 2014 · 10:48 am

Trauma education by txt msg? Therapy support by txt msg?


This week I came across Journal of Family and Community Ministries (free subscription required) describing the use of text messages (160 characters or less) to trainees in Rwanda and Kenya. The trainees, having received face-to-face business education, then received one text message each business day for four weeks. 4 of the text messages each week contained a local proverb used to remind and/or enhance the business education they received. Each Friday they received a text containing a multiple choice quiz question to see whether learning was taking place. This pilot study seemed to provide a “proof of concept.”

Having read the article, I began to think about two applications, sustaining trauma healing training and supporting ongoing therapy efforts.

Sustaining Trauma Healing Training

We all know the experience of attending a great training but then finding months later that we have forgotten some important concepts—or can no longer explain them as well as we would like. Life can get in the way and we lose the ideas and skills we wanted to retain.

For the last several years I have been involved in providing conference-based training to counselors and caregivers in Rwanda. Our focus in to “top-up” knowledge and skills related to trauma recovery and other related topics (especially domestic violence, child abuse prevention, addictions, etc.) Each time I am impressed by the quality of the participants and the ability to overcome personal and logistical challenges to do the work they do. But some of our topics touch on pretty new or controversial material that may not be as immediately usable by our participants. One possible solution to this problem would be to use existing proverbs (or modify a bit) and send as reminders of ideas learned. It stands to reason that these short reminders might help solidify learning. In addition, it may also help maintain connections between trainer and trainee as well as trainee and trainee between annual meetings.

Supporting Ongoing Therapy

Most counselors have the experience that their clients “get” a new skill in session only to “forget” it later in the week. What if clients could receive short texts reminding them to practice a skill, or reminding them a thought that they wanted to remember? For example, if a counselor had a specialty dealing with anxiety disorders, clients could choose to sign up to receive a daily text reminder to use common or remember key truths.

Life tends to push out what we are trying to remember. Those who journal sometimes review old writings and remember anew something that they really wanted to retain. A text message might just might provide this kind of reminder and keep the learning fresh and present.

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August 15, 2014 · 8:00 am

GTRI 2014: Day 12 Kigeme Refugee Camp


July 12, 2014. Kigeme Refugee Camp to Kigali

For all who travelled with us, our visit to the refugee camp was moving in many ways. We saw deep poverty and yet deep resilien

Heather with her new friends

Heather with her new friends

ce. The following observations are from Heather Drew, a counselor and one of my GTRI students and who begins her tenure as Fieldwork Coordinator in my seminary department today! Please welcome Heather and check out her blog as she is a gifted communicator in her own right.

—

Today was our last full day in Rwanda. We woke up in Butare, got one last cup of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted at a lovely coffee shop called Cafe Connexions, then rode our bus to a UN refugee camp in Kigeme. Around 20,000 Kinyarwandan speaking Congolese

Kigeme camp children

Kigeme camp children

refugees live in this camp, 12,000 of which are children, we were told. The abundance of children was immediately apparent to us as we were greeted by dozens of sweet smiles peering into our bus, waiting for us to climb out. Some of us took photos of/with the children and showed them the photo (they love that). Stan The children followed us around like we were pied pipers. The parents followed us with their eyes, and greeted us kindly. The camp was made up of rows upon rows of small mud houses with metal roofs – living spaces the size of a small American living room – containing 6-8 (or more) family members each. Our group wove through the narrow, red-dusty walkways between houses, climbing up slippery hills with the help of our small chaperones. They taught us some additional phrases in Kinyarwandan, showed us their beautifully-made and efficient water collection/filtration system, and held our hands. The EUG_7154children who could speak a few words in English were eager to do so. The ones who knew no English spoke to us without any words, showing us their homemade toys constructed with old bottles and broken pieces of things. It made me realize that the less a person has, the more resourceful and creative they become. This is a very prevalent characteristic throughout Rwanda.

At the base of the hill on which the camp sits is a meeting space where our team met with several leaders within the camp who lead trauma healing groups with fellow refugees. We were traveling with our friend Harriet Hill, one of the writers/developers of the Healing Wounds of Trauma material put out by American Bible Society, which this group has found so useful. (This book has been translated into several languages and is effectively used to facilitate around the world.) I had greatly anticipated this day, and in the moment the depth of it was not lost on me at all; here we were sitting in a room with about 50 Congolese refugees who use this book to lead healing groups in one of the most trauma-impacted areas of the world with Harriet Hill, the woman who had a dream over a decade ago to develop the material. It was extremely moving.

Leaders/facilitators gave testimonies about the groups and about personal healing, and presented questions they had. One person shared, “We are all traumatized…This material heals us and then we can help others heal.” Another shared, “During the genocide, so many of us – on both sides of the conflict – had hearts like animals. The Bible takes away our animal hearts.” Not all of these testimonies were ones of “arrival,” however. A few shared how they are still in the midst of the long healing process. The truthfulness of this impacted and inspired us.

After their testimony time Phil, Diane, Harriet, and their two leaders were invited to speak. Remarks were encouraging and thankful. Harriet Hill shared how much it meant to her that they have such bravery to share the comfort they themselves have received from Christ. She also shared Psalm 126, words that resonate with their stories. Finally, at the end of the meeting, we shared Fanta and

Zenko with Marianne Millen

Zenko with Marianne Millen

snacks together (a tradition of hospitality in Rwanda), then we said our goodbyes – even to Zenko, our dear new friend, which we were very sad about! – and boarded our bus for a 2 hour ride back to Kigali. I tried to focus on taking in the breathtaking beauty of the country as we made our last drive, because no photo can capture it.

Our final night was spent at East African Villas in Kigali. This was a hotel in Rwanda managed by a lovely Christian man called Ezekiel who was wearing a Georgia Bulldogs shirt when we arrived, which we enjoyed. We rested and enjoyed hot showers (a luxury I will no longer take for granted) during the few hours before dinner. Then we settled together in the dining room, ate our final Rwandan dinner feast, then Phil initiated our final team debriefing & sharing time.

We all shared 3 words that we each felt best expressed what we had learned in Rwanda. Among the things shared: new meaning of “celebrating the recovery of life” and also of “groans that words cannot express,” what it means to embrace Jesus’s invitation to “watch with Him,” the privilege of carrying people’s stories with them, how impactful people’s eyes and testimonies were, how much courage we saw, how much desperation we saw and how that was pointed at God in many cases. It was a much-needed time of sharing. To my knowledge, there wasn’t a dry eye among us.

We ended our night by taking a few group photos on the balcony.

GTRI 2014 Team

GTRI 2014 Team

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August 11, 2014 · 6:00 am

GTRI 2014: Day 9 Muhanga


July 9, 2014

Wednesday morning. We had our last lovely breakfast at Solace guest house, packed our things and left to travel a little over an hour south to Centre Saint Andre, a retreat and conference facility. We arrived in time to get our rooms to put our things away and get to the start of the conference. This Community of Practice conference, run by the Bible Society of Rwanda, is their first ever such meeting of trauma healing facilitators and is designed to raise the level of skills and knowledge of the facilitators as well as share best practices among them. Our role at the conference is threefold: lead some of the teaching sessions, listen and respond to case consultations and, best of all, get to know the facilitators and share experiences. The room was set with tables for 6 with 4 Rwandans and 2 Americans each.

The conference began with a bible study by the secretariat of the Bible Society. He spoke of the necessity of having the right names for things. He noted the significant difference in naming Rwanda a country healing from genocide instead of Rwanda a genocide country. Each table then discussed successes and challenges. At my table we heard of many good stories of healing (Success) but also that the

Credit: Heather Evans

Credit: Heather Evans

facilitators feel much guilt for not helping more (Challenge). They struggle with feeling worn out and impoverished helping others. Some noted how their own families and marriages were suffering given that they found it hard to say no to tangible needs of those they were trying to help. They noted that many of the recipients did want to have tangible gifts in order to take time to be in a healing group.

Next, Diane Langberg presented on the topic of shame. She defined guilt as a response to what we do but shame as a response to what we perceive we are or have become. She noted there are different types of shame but all result in a loss of “glory.” Some religious traditions believe that blood (honor killings) is the only way to cleanse the family of shame. She pointed out that while this is gravely distorted view of shame/honor, blood IS the only cleansing of shame–Jesus’ death and resurrection. She explored how Jesus did not run from the shame, that the image of God is one who runs after the shamed, who clothes them, who brings them his honor.

In response, the table groups considered three questions: What is considered shameful in Rwanda? What does the church say is shameful? Which of these are false sources of shame per the Scriptures? Consider some of the items mentioned,

  • To be pregnant without a husband, yet a man is proud
  • To divorce or separate
  • To be impotent or barren
  • To be a victim of rape
  • To be drunk (if woman); only shameful for a man if he does something wrong when drunk
  • To engage in open conflict; to talk openly of problems
  • To be in need/impoverished
  • For a woman to talk about domestic violence; to be a man beaten by his wife
  • to have disobedient children
  • To be albino
  • To commit adultery (church endorsed shame); to be HIV+

Interestingly, it was not always agreed upon which items should not be considered shameful.

396We ended our training day with a teaching/group interaction I did regarding addictions (the nature of addictions, what the Scriptures say, and how these facilitators can help improve commitment to sobriety in those they seek to help). I think most Americans and Rwandans felt the beginnings of connections forming as personal stories were told to us and we received them for what they were, treasures.

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August 8, 2014 · 6:17 am

GTRI 2014: Day 8 Kigali


July 8, 2014

Tuesday. Yesterday was a deep dive into Rwanda for GTRI students. They heard directly from Rwandan caregivers and spent time trying to weigh the genocide and its ongoing impact. Today we begin meeting and interacting with trauma healing and recovery caregivers in a conference setting. At a local hotel about 100 Rwandans gathered to kick off the Bible Society’s trauma healing community of practice and the inauguration of the Rwandan Association of Christian Counselors. The purpose of this meeting was to introduce both projects to the public and to invite the media and dignitaries to be present. The Rev. Emmanuel Kayijuka game some opening remarks and an Anglican Bishop offered a brief bible study of John 4:1-3, the woman at the well. He pointed out that she was likely a prostitute and an DSC_0233abused woman, abused by men, by society and desperate. Why else gather water at noon. He also pointed out that after her healing, she became a woman on a mission of healing, seeking social contact for the purpose of evangelism. After these reflections, Dr. Jean Mutabaruka presented a paper looking at the relationship between trauma, PTSD, and complicated grief. He pointed to 12 types of trauma in Rwanda, including sexual/physical/emotional abuse, witnessing violence, discrimination, poverty, etc. At the end, he raised a few general questions regarding the management of the mourning period/process each year.

After the professor finished, both Diane Langberg and I made a few brief remarks in response. Dr. Harriet Hill presented an overview of trauma healing project, in Rwanda and around the world. She showed the latest trailer of a documentary (much about the Congo project) about bible based trauma healing slated to be aired on ABC network this fall. Fun to see people I know in this trailer. David from the Rwandan Bible Society reviewed the progress to date: 2,918 trained people using Healing Wounds of Trauma material. Many of these are able to train others while the rest are better able to care for themselves.

New President: Baraka Credit: Heather Evans

The second half of the day included a presentation by Baraka Paulette Unwingeneye about the efforts thus far to form the Rwandan Association of Christian Counselors. This group of counselors and caregivers have been meeting with us since 2011 and are ready to be birthed. As Baraka said it, it may be like an elephant’s gestation, but now we are near the final month. We had presentations from Narcisse about the needed documents to be filed to make the association official, myself about the benefits and processes to form an associations. Then, those in attendance voted in a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, advisors, and conflict managers. This may not sound very moving, but I assure it was!

Fun too

While we come to Rwanda for serious matters, not everything has to be intense. As our day was ending, we quickly changed from our conference clothes to go out for a bit of shopping: the Simba market for coffee and tea, and another market selling typical Rwandan traditional items (clothes, woven bowls, banana leaf art. I looked and looked for a blue African traditional shirt but came up empty.

This marks our last night at Solace. Tomorrow we move on to the conference proper about 50 minutes or so south in Muhanga (Southern Province). Though we are about to begin the training in earnest, I think I am beginning to relax. A year’s worth of planning is now well under way. Despite a few surprises and schedule changes, most everything is working as planned. No problems with transportation, food, water, housing. Meetings planned have more or less happened.

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August 4, 2014 · 5:29 am

GTRI 2014 Immersion: Day 5-6


July 5, 2014

A bright and sunny start to this day. The team will arrive to join me this afternoon. At Solace, a typical breakfast includes fresh fruits, coffee, croissants, honey, cheese and hard-boiled eggs. Eating on the porch I enjoyed the views across the valley and got to know some fellow Americans working for Solace (from Wisconsin

Credit: Heather Evans

Credit: Heather Evans

). Since this is a relatively quiet day, I decided to go on a hike of this part of Kigali. Walked by the offices of International Justice Mission and through several neighborhoods. It is nice to get to know the city well enough not to get lost.

After lunch, our good friend and colleague Baraka Paulette came by to bring me to the airport to meet the incoming GTRI team. Everyone arrived on time and in good spirits, even if bleary eyed from the travel. After getting everyone into their rooms, quite a few were up for a short walk. On the way, we stopped at a nearby art center to

Typical Solace meal Credit: Heather Evans

Typical Solace meal
Credit: Heather Evans

see the gallery and talk to artists busy at work. Soon we had dinner (usually 3 courses: soup, entrée, dessert).

At this point, I discover that we do not have reservations here at Solace for our last night. I ask the staff to help us find a comparable accommodations and they let me know that they will help us.

July 6, 2014

Sunday. We attend Baraka’s church on Ndera hill. We enjoy worship despite it not being in English. At least a couple of choirs sing. Diane preaches (translated) on Isaiah 45:2-3 which speaks of the mystery of treasures in dark places and makes application to those who are suffering much and yet

Credit: Heather Evans

Credit: Heather Evans

finding treasure in the Lord’s calling them by name. Several of the group held children’s church outside. After the service we were brought back into the church with the members to receive communion. Sitting on benches in a rectangle, we were given opportunity to wash our hands and then proceed with the service. (For those who want to know, we had the melt-in-your-mouth wafer and individual cups of juice).

After church we were taken to Baraka’s family home to enjoy a goat roast, a lovely way to pass the Sabbath! Mid-afternoon we departed on our bus for Enfant de Dieu, an organization that cares for former street children. They house almost 100 boys, providing them with training, education, and housing. We watched them drum and dance for us

Credit: Heather Evans

Credit: Heather Evans

(including street-style dancing) and then shared donuts and sodas as well as some games. I and one of the older boys played beach volleyball against another teammate and child on something that was akin to sand. My poor feet took a beating. During our time we also got to hear how the ministry works and about the counseling offered in groups and individuals. It was especially fun to show some of the video footage on my phone from last year. We could see who had grown the most and who had left to go back to family.

Finally, we ended our day back at Solace Ministry with an American missionary couple who have been in Kigali for almost 2 years. They were able to describe work with prostitutes and pastors. Also, they filled the team in on some of the cultural differences: A person is a girl or boy until she or he has a child. Many girls would choose to contract HIV rather than be childless. For a man to get married he has to build a family home. Because some of the materials are so expensive, many are putting off marriage and thus encouraging sex before marriage. Many expect that men and women who travel will have sex outside of marriage while on the trip. Some form of genital mutilation is present here (not so much cutting as stretching). Finally, we explored the survival mentality and how that can be a help and a hindrance.

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July 31, 2014 · 5:36 am

GTRI 2014: Day 4


July 4. Transit day.

Today is a transit day. Breakfast of hardboiled egg, bread, and coffee. Talked with Klero of South Sudan. Discussed ideas of how to bring GTRI courses/materials and other counseling training to local areas here in Uganda and in S. Sudan. While Juba has great Internet per Klero, most people there do not have access to it. The same is true here in Uganda. I am very interested in finding a way to bring this training (videos, readings, exercises) to this region without it being in an online format as it is right now. Seems the areas of greatest interest are basic helping skills, trauma healing from the Bible Society, deeper understanding of impact of trauma and expression of PTSD across cultures, and exposure to psychopathology. My goal would be to give this material away and offer live conferencing sessions to the training mentor as needed. Then, possibly follow-up with a visit to “t0p-up” as Harriet Hill is fond of saying.

Anyone want to fund that or help me figure out how to get others to do so? (Smile)

After breakfast we made our way to a nearby Catholic college to talk with Sister Bokiambo and the dean of the counseling department, Fr Evarist Gabosya Ankwasiize. They were interested in future opportunities with shared learning (my bringing students here to engage and interact with their students and participate in joint training). I left with new ideas for this location (on the shorts of Victoria) and with the encouragement that the Bible Society might be able to begin some seminars here to improve the dialogue between Scripture engaged trauma care and traditional mental health trauma care.

After a lunch of fried fish on the shorts of Victoria, I said my good-byes to Justus and Esther at Entebbe airport. The added security was quite evident (3 bag checks and 3 metal detectors before boarding) but there were no problems. The flight to Kigali was under 1 hour on a very new Rwandair airplane. Just enough time for a Passion fruit drink from the steward. Arrived to significant upgrades to the airport.

Arrived at Solace Ministries Guesthouse, our usual haunts since 2011. Solace isn’t hotel level but I love it for many reasons: Simeon’s great cooking (he makes fantastic vegetable soups and dessert of fresh tropical fruit and ice cream tonight), my money goes to a ministry and not a behemoth corporation, the water is hot, the rooms are clean, and it is centrally located. Seems Internet is a bit upgraded since I was able to SKYPE with Kim and boys.  [For a 2012 video of Solace Guesthouse, see here.]

I arrived here after the major July 4 celebrations today. Today marks the end of the 100 day mourning period and celebrates the liberation of Kigali. This is the 20th anniversary. A number of fireworks were shot off tonight, which I was told later triggered some local people into thinking the city was under attack.

Tomorrow, Lord willing, the rest of the team will arrive from the US and other points and our GTRI immersion trip will begin in earnest.

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June 25, 2014 · 12:55 pm

My next two weeks in East Africa


Starting Monday I will be off traveling to Kampala, Uganda and then on to Rwanda for Global Trauma Recovery Institute. I welcome your prayers for myself, my students, and the attendees. In addition, Diane Langberg and myself will be leading a group of 12 Americans (10 GTRI students) on a listening/dialogue immersion trip throughout Rwanda. Some of the highlights of our trip(s) will include,

  • 2 day trauma healing community of practice in Kampala with the Bible Society of Uganda
  • 3 day trauma healing community of practice in Rwanda with the Bible Society of Rwanda
  • Afternoon mini-conference with pastors in Southern Province, Rwanda
  • Day with the newly forming Association of Christian counselors in Rwanda
  • Visits to NGOs working with trauma victims and street children
  • Church services
  • Visits to genocide memorials
  • Visit to a refugee camp
  • Numerous conversations, formal and informal over the next two weeks

I will make some attempts to update all on my trip as I go. You can follow me here and @PhilipGMonroe or @BTSCounseling. If you are interested in seeing more about the GTRI engagement model, check out this short video. And, if you would like BTS to continue doing this kind of missional work, feel free to go here and donate before the end of our fiscal year, June 30.

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June 24, 2014 · 11:28 am

Some thoughts on international trauma training


In just a few days I will be off to Uganda and then on to Rwanda to do some training with trauma healing workers in both country’s bible societies. In addition, a group of students from our Global Trauma Recovery Institute will join me in Rwanda to learn more about how to help without hurting. In light of this trip, I penned a few thoughts for those who have a heart to do something about the massive trauma needs around the world. Here’s a preview:

Trauma is a hot topic these days. We live in a world where we are aware of terrible traumas happening around the globe in real time. We hear and see tsunamis unfolding, towns being flooded when dikes are breached, mass shootings, bodies strewn about due to ethnic conflict, houses destroyed by errant bombs, and gender violence in almost every corner of the world. While humanitarian efforts to respond to the physical needs of those in trouble are not new, there is a recent push to have charity workers become “trauma informed” so they can also address spiritual and psychological distress.

Trauma is a hot topic not just because we have more evidence of it happening in real time. It is hot because we have better information about the impact of violence and abuse on the human brain, on human interactions, and on the fabric of a society (Mollica, 2006).

Christian counselors, many of whom want to provide cups of cold water to the hurting masses, undoubtedly wish to use their skills to bring hope, healing and recovery to traumatized peoples around the world. But just where should they start?

You can read the rest of my thoughts over at our faculty blog site.

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March 12, 2014 · 9:55 am

The roots of genocide? Guest post at www.biblical.edu


In light of the upcoming 20th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda, I’ve written a short post about the roots of genocide. You can find it here at the faculty blog site at biblical.edu. I interact with some material by Ervin Staub in order to go beyond either the superficial response–that it just sin and evil that causes genocide–and to go beyond the naive response that it is something we could never do.

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