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When Erica (not her real name) joined an online trauma healing workshop facilitated by your Resonate missionary Melissa Bos in Oman, she knew it would be important for her ministry—but she didn’t know God would use it to save someone’s life.

Widespread Trauma

Melissa, who partners with the Al Amana Centre, planned to host trauma healing for ministry leaders this coming fall. The trauma healing series is a resource from the Bible Society, and your Resonate missionaries use this educational series in countries throughout the world.

When COVID-19 hit, Melissa decided that the training couldn’t wait until fall. With sickness, job loss, and a lot of uncertainty building up, Melissa recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic was producing “a time of chronic, widespread trauma.” She coordinated online workshops for the spring season instead—and it didn’t take long before the courses were packed with attendees.

Erica felt the Holy Spirit nudge her to participate. She planned to take the session on trauma healing from rape, but on the morning of the session, her daughter needed help with school and she wasn’t able to participate. Erica attended the next day’s session on suicide instead. 

“God ordained for me to attend the suicide session,” she said.

An Unexpected Call

Less than 48 hours after the workshop, Erica received a call from a woman she had met three years earlier. The woman cried out to Erica in hopelessness. Though the woman had already been struggling, the pandemic had made life even more challenging for her.

“She was contemplating [taking] her life,” said Erica. 

Before taking the trauma healing workshop on suicide, Erica said she had had a difficult time understanding suicide—but the session gave her a new perspective and equipped her to help minister to the woman. She said the training “came alive” in her.

“I realized there is so much more that can be done if only you can reach out to someone before they commit and take their life,” said Erica. “Now my reference is one of empathic counseling because there is always time to talk them out of it with grace.”

Erica immediately sent the woman a small amount of money to provide immediate relief. She also listened to the woman, counseled her, and shared about God’s comfort and love. Erica helped walk this woman out of despair and restore hope in her life!

God’s Faithfulness

Erica regularly checks in with the woman and says she is in good spirits! She is starting a business that will help provide an income, and through conversations with Erica, she is constantly reminded that God loves her. While the woman still faces challenges, she confidently says, “God is faithful.”

Thank you for helping to make these trauma healing workshops possible through your support of Resonate missionaries and ministries! “Helping equip church members to help each other is part of discipleship,” said Melissa. “There has been almost daily testimony that participants are being used by God to help people going through trauma to find healing.”

God is working powerfully through your support to show love and care for God's children!