FORMATORS’ MEETING: GHANA – MALAWI UPDATES- DAY FIVE

Introduction

The day started with a prayer-service led by Bro. Moses Mgunda, chair of the Vocation Promotion Team in Malawi.

The theme was on ‘Healing of hurtful and/ or painful Memories’. Bro. Moses reflectively gave analysis on how painful memories affect our behavior in our day to day living, whether in our communities, apostolic areas and in fact in all interactions with others. Memories in themselves are not bad. How we react to them, is what affect an individual to behave in one way or the other. How we react to experiences we go through in life is what helps us to go through life either with hope and freedom or pain and sadness.

The Day’s Sessions

Through the presentations and sharing on the day’s topics- psychological assessment, healing of hurtful memories and basic Counselling skills, it became clearer, for the participants that every brother, formator, leadership of the provinces and the congregation, have important roles to play, especially for the well-being of one another in the congregation. During clarification and sharing sessions, the participants realized that those in formation houses and in leadership positions of the congregation have a special role to play in the recruitment and retention of the future members of the congregation.

My reactions…

 I could see and recognize behaviors and /or   some aspects of myself in several presentations and the sharing, on how unpleasant memories can draw myself backwards. This is an important realization in me to start nurturing joyous moments and at the same time to pay less attention to hurtful experiences for my personal wellbeing, and that of the others. I believe that this is one of the important areas that we, as a congregation and provinces, need to invest in for the future of the congregation.

It is equally important to realize and believe that our learning to hope in God, purifies and heals one’s hurtful memories. Prayer remains an essential tool in freeing oneself from all sorts of experiences that one does not want to experience again.  The afternoon session was dedicated to Basic Counselling Skills- Spiritual guidance and, The art of spiritual guidance, other equally important areas for the formation of the future members of the congregation, the spiritual wellbeing of the brothers themselves.  This needs more exploration! ‘Am I willing to embark on this journey? 

 Reported by: Lawrence Sitima