This blog is to support the efforts of Into the Light Jesus Centered Trauma Recovery Training Center in Nicaragua.
My name is Karen Downing. I hold a masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Trauma Recovery from Richmont Graduate University. I have been in fulltime ministry, pastoral counseling for the last 15 years.
The History
I began this journey in 2009 during my first short term mission trip to Nicaragua. It was at that time visiting a children’s home that I discovered that the needs of those children went beyond food and shelter. Their hearts also needed much needed healing from the trauma they had experienced.
During that trip I began working with the children but realized quickly how little I alone could do in a short amount of time. The healing they needed would take longer and that work would be much better suited for other Nicaraguans to do. It was during a trip in 2010 that I had a vision for a training center that would help professionals, pastors and community leaders be better equipped at providing this healing for those who have been affected by trauma of all kinds.
During my graduate work (and before, but that’s another story) I began developing a process that would bring Jesus into the pain of the trauma and allow him to address that person’s very specific needs.
After presenting a small seminar in Managua on trauma with my classmate Michelle Binion, it became clear that those who were working with the traumatized and those who wanted to were hungry for more training and skill development. So Michelle and I along with Dr. Laura Hayes and Dr. Jerry Gladson conducted a 3 day conference on trauma after graduation. This conference was a huge success with over 300 people attending and that is a big deal for Nicaragua.
Upon return to the states I knew I just had to go. I really wasn’t that ready. I had student loans to deal with and getting my life back in order but there was really no time to waste. So, I embarked upon the process of moving my life to Nicaragua to establish this training center.
Why is it an internship?
I knew no matter what this program would eventually look like, it had to be an internship program. Not only did people need to know as much as I could teach them about trauma, they also needed to know good counseling skills as well because much of this training is targeted for pastors and community leaders that can help those in need in the very rural area of Nicaragua. This internship program would need to be lengthy to ensure that those interns would not only be equipped to do the work themselves but would also be equipped to train others.
This internship is quite lengthy due to its nature. It will take at least one year to complete (providing we meet 3 – 6 hours per week) and includes teaching, modeling, practice and supervision. Once these trainers are trained then they will be supervised while training others.
The interns:
So, after selling all my possessions and moving to Nicaragua, getting somewhat settled and adjusting a little I discovered my first intern. Well, actually she was sent miraculously from God. Carla, is a teaching psychologist with a sensitive heart and a passion to see people heal and be free to live out the destiny God has for them.
I knew she was the right fit but there was one big hurdle to overcome. She does not speak any English. So we had to find an interpreter. Not only did we have to find an interpreter but they would have to be willing to volunteer their time. Because at this time both the intern and interpreter are unpaid volunteers (although I would like to change that in the near future).
One day she was near the bus station and saw an old friend. Someone she had not seen in over 10 years but she knew he spoke English and had worked as an interpreter. His name is Demo. She explained the situation and the program and asked him if he would be interested. He said he was. Little did she know that he was also studying to be a Pastor which is his dream. After he heard what we were doing and essentially that he too would be getting the same training as Carla he was excited. He has been with us ever since. They both sense God’s call to them in this mission and are very dedicated, however, our training days are not as consistent as they could be due to work schedules. Whenever Demo has a chance to work with a team he has to because that is the way he supports his family. Teams come a week or two at a time and he has to travel and stay with them wherever they are. This is why I would like to be able to give them both some monetary compensation for the sacrifices they are making to be a part of this project. It’s hard to explain how little people live on here, but the average income is $200 – $300 a month. You can make monthly, yearly, or one time financial gifts to be a part of securing our finances will help us contribute to Demo and Carla’s family financially.
Carla also came with God surprises. She is well connected with the department of health in Nicaragua and is the president of the board of directors for Acción Médica Cristiana, a medical missionary organization who has been in Nicaragua for 30 years and is branching out into the psycho/social aspects of needs in the communities they serve. These communities are in the Northern rural areas of Nicaragua. In fact, just before Carla had started with the internship, she was commissioned through a specially funded project to go to the North to work with some specific children who had been severely sexually abused. Unfortunately the funding dried up for this project. This is how we know that the only way to really serve these rural communities is by training pastors and community leaders in trauma recovery. It will not be self-sustaining for one person to just go and do the work, we need to train as many as possible so that every area is served well. One person can only do so much – but a team of gifted, skilled and passionate volunteers can move mountains.
Carla, Demo and I are also developing the information that will go in the training manual. All of what I know has to be distilled with a new filter for cultural application. There are just some approaches that would not be appropriate for a Nicaraguan and there are skills I need to develop to adjust for cultural norms. In fact, it’s a learning situation all around and then we will have to begin the writing phase of the manual.
So at this time we have two interns and hope to be adding a 3rd by the end of May. Once these interns go through the training then we will make our next move which will be to find someone from a rural area that can come to Managua and also go through the training.
Our current goals:
Right now, we are learning so much from each other and training is taking place at a steady although slow pace. We hope to have our training finished and an outline of the manual by the end of 2016 at which time both interns can begin working with people under supervision.
The future:
As we look to the future we see the need to have the resources necessary to gain greater financial stability to be able respond effectively to the costs of gaining residency, enlarging our ability to fund others who would be able to work with the program but not able to volunteer and to have the flexibility to deal with those “living in a developing country” surprises and take advantage of special opportunities outside of our normal activities.
Go to Vineyard Community Church website to give a tax deductible donation and choose Nicaragua/CASA in the account drop down menu in any amount you want at any time. Monthly donations of $20 or more are greatly appreciated.
Into The Light Nicaragua 