Going Far Together
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
African Proverb
Hannah Gaddis, Heart for Africa Relationship Manager, invited three of her United States mentors to help her REFRESH the women and men who serve the 400+ children day in and day out at Project Canaan. The first of its kind conference was held March 18-22nd. This event fulfilled one of Hannah’s dreams to serve the adults at Project Canaan who can become overwhelmed by their own needs and the needs of the children.
While I am not one of her mentors, I was blessed to be invited to serve alongside a loving team of seven women. Together, we facilitated four sessions per day for five days to accommodate their work shifts and to ensure that those who wanted to participate would be able to come to several sessions. Our topics were based on their interests: cultivating friendships; healing with art; personal financial management; growing your faith; grief and loss; communication strategies; healing from childhood trauma; the power of forgiveness; and the power of one word.
At each session, Hannah emphasized that while many of the visiting groups come to meet the children, this group of women were here to serve the adults. It was a delight and joy to see their smiles as they welcomed us!
At every session, people arrived eager to listen and learn. One of my favorite “self-care” impromptu sessions was when we painted the fingernails of all the women. We decided it was time to use the 70+ bottles of nail polish we had brought. We all enjoyed the conversations and laughter while we painted. It’s amazing how a colorful set of nails can lift one’s spirit!
In the states, I use art to facilitate healing with both adults and children. I was off the charts excited when I was asked to do the same at Project Canaan. I will always treasure the watercolor paintings both the adults and 11-13 year-old children created to help release and transform stress-producing feelings. The children easily named those “hard” feelings like anger, loneliness and sadness that can get stuck and understood how those feelings can affect their thoughts, emotional well-being and physical health. Art is truly a universal language that does offer healing!
Our very last session of the week will be yet another memory to treasure! We began with dancing, and then explored how to use one word to give you a new set of lenses by which to view each day – which changes your life. The atmosphere shifted when words like peace, triumph, victorious, confidence, trust, and love were declared loud and proud into the mic. We then ended as we began, with joy-filled dancing.
I am forever changed by this opportunity to help water the wells of “living water” within each person and to spend time with a ministry that is fully committed to walking triumphantly together – with Christ and with one another towards their shared vision – aided by their strong faith, good health and unconquerable joy! May they all go far – together!
Susan Brown, Heart for Africa Trip Volunteer
