Local Social Worker Brings In-Depth Training to Our Staff

It was a big prayer, and it was answered! As the ministry’s needs have grown, the staff's responsibilities have grown as well.  Back in August 2017, we received the funds for our staff in DRC to finally complete a long-wished-for training, and this month we got to see more fruits from that large training. A social worker from Rwanda who has been consulting with us spent a week with the staff and the children during that time.  She taught our staff a new curriculum for mentoring the youth, but also crucial social work skills, evaluation techniques and curriculum for support groups with the reunified and reintegrated families.  The support groups began this month, after intense planning and preparation. We are encouraged by our staff's leadership with these families and what this means to the community.  Not only are children being cared for through sponsorship, but entire families are becoming change makers in their community when it comes to orphan care. Our hope is that we see the expansion of the family reintegration side of the ministry in 2018.  The families who have taken in children need support in many ways.  We wish to implement a second phase to this side of the ministry, which is to facilitate and connect the families to income generating trainings and opportunities like raising animals, sewing, bread making, gardening, art and other handiwork.  We have a volunteer grant writer working hard to gain funding for this second phase. Pray for this big prayer with us for 2018!