Never the Same Again

I will never be the same again…nunca seremos los mismos! Words we love to hear in any language. Changing lives for God’s glory…changing lives to enable them to fulfill their potential…empowering others to become Light-bearers for their families, communities, and the world.

For over 10 years we have ministered to children and their families in the Dominican Republic—in orphanages, schools, churches and through our Samuel’s Fund sponsorship program. Most of these children have suffered trauma during critical stages of their development due to abandonment, hunger, and abuse in many forms. With limited knowledge and virtually no available training, the staff at orphanages, teachers in the local schools, and children’s caregivers struggle to handle the behavioral symptoms of this trauma. They work tirelessly to love the unlovable, set appropriate limits, heal wounds, and meet need.

After searching for some time, last fall God led us to find a training course, Trauma Competent Caregivers. Amazingly, certified facilitators offered this training in Spanish in April, 2018 in two different locations in the Dominican Republic. STCH Ministries sponsored a total of 33 staff members, teachers, and caregivers from the local community to attend. Additionally, our Dominican STCH staff stepped up, volunteered their time, and traveled to Santiago, spending two nights and two full days caring for those children, so that 18 caregivers could be trained.

Some of the comments we have received:

Janibel: “I learned to have empathy for the abuse that children have suffered, how to understand them better…the importance of listening to them, and even playing with them.”

Ruth Ester: “I learned the importance of three things for children—security, sense of permanency, meeting their needs for well-being.”

Alejandra: “I have better tools for disciplining children in my home, responding according to the occasion and the behavior. This will help me to better connect, empower, and correct their behavior.

Valentina Flores, one of our own STCH Ministries team members, summed up the experience for everyone, “In reality, the knowledge we received has impacted the lives of each of us, and we will never be the same again! Now that we learned about different temperaments, how to calm them, meet their needs and identify trauma, we will not see children as we did before.

You and I are the blessed ones, the ones God has entrusted with the privilege of caring for children, counseling for broken lives and marriages, teaching truths from God’s Word that can set people free. And we are blessed 100 times more to share these ministries with you–volunteers, churches, mission trip participants, and sponsors.