Ministry at a Salon
It's common for Janice's clients to confide in her as she's styling their hair. You equipped her to minister with them.
Why does God allow hard things?
The girl’s eyes teared up as Janice snipped at her hair. Janice moved from South Africa to Oman for a job as a hairstylist, and it’s common for her clients to confide in her while they’re sitting in her chair. My relative has cancer. My husband is cheating on me. I was never able to have kids.
“God is able to work through the beauty salon, but not all beauticians realize the potential for ministry,” said Melissa Bos, your Resonate Global Mission missionary. Melissa leads Trauma Healing sessions in Oman.
But Janice did realize that God was calling her to ministry through her work as a hairstylist, and you helped equip her. When she learned about the Trauma Healing session Melissa was leading, Janice decided to join so she could heal from her own pain and trauma. But she saw how helpful it would be for her clients, too.
Janice said that as she talks with clients, she hears the “unedited version of people’s stories.” People share about relationship struggles. Family drama. Health concerns. Spiritual questions, doubts, and crises.
As she participated in the training, she not only was able to take steps to heal from her own pain, but she also learned important steps to take when talking with people who have experienced trauma.
“I have always been quick to answer, but I am learning to listen,” said Janice. “I learned that it’s okay to not have anything to say in response to someone’s story … I always thought good listening means that I have good advice to give, but it’s the other way. People feel validated when I just listen.”
I learned that it’s okay to not have anything to say in response to someone’s story … I always thought good listening means that I have good advice to give, but it’s the other way. People feel validated when I just listen.
So when the girl sitting in Janice’s chair at the salon broke down during her appointment, Janice knew how to best respond. She listened. She let the girl talk. She prayed. Following the Holy Spirit’s leading, Janice shared: “Go back to the Manufacturer. He made you. He knows what you need.”
Healing from trauma is a long process, but thanks to your giving, Janice was able to support and encourage this girl simply by listening. It opened the door for this girl to bring her pain to God.
Today Janice continues this work with many of her clients who open up about difficult circumstances in their lives. Janice has found the Trauma Healing training so valuable that she asked Melissa to teach her how to facilitate the training herself. She’s been working hard to open the door for more people to heal from trauma.
“Janice has now co-led two healing groups with me … I have seen Janice lean into the simple yet profound act of creating space for others to self-discover their way to Christ as Healer,” said Melissa.
“She knows how to ask good questions, to prompt participation, and to keep quiet so that the participants could share their own learnings and ideas. It has been such a privilege to work with her.”
Thank you for helping to make this ministry possible!