Our Past is our Past
“Our past is our past. We must forget and try to move on.” (Coming from one of our carepoint boys going through the Lost&Found course.)
Because of this viewpoint, many people find themselves unable to cope with new emotional challenges that come their way. Every new challenge is a painful throw back, reminding them of the unresolved emotions related to the pains of the past. Part of the aim of the Lost&Found course is to assist young people to revisit past painful experiences and enable them to grow through those experiences. Revisiting these ‘old wounds’ is sometimes seen as unnecessary opening up of the wounds. However, as with our Christian walk with God, where He starts working in the deepest part of our heart, the course directs our attentions to where healing is needed. Wounds need to be cleansed completely to avoid infections. Once cleaned, the healing can start from the inside out. Similar, when we allow ourselves to think, talk, and feel, with relation to the hurts in our lives, we allow our hearts and spirits to heal healthy.
In some of the cases in the groups, we have heard stories of an 11-year-old boy who have lost his father, brother and grandmother, and who does not know whom his mother is. In other cases we have had young people in our groups who struggled to read and write. When one such young girl (12) was given the change to talk about the lost in her life, she said the following, “My mother got very ill and could no longer work or earn money, we did not have money to pay my school fees and I could no longer attend school. What I have lost is my friends, who are still at school, but now I feel rejected by them; I feel I don’t belong and I am very alone. This makes me feel very much of pain.’
The children are opening up and talking about their lost. It is so sad to hear all their stories and we are daily gaining more respect for them. It is sometimes unimaginable to hear what they have been or are still going through. We are thankful for this wonderful tool of Lost&Found to help the kids work through their emotions. For us, serving here in Swaziland, it is more than just feeding these kids. We want them to know Jesus, but we want them to be ‘healthy people’ knowing God in His fullness.
Great update – thanks for this encouraging word! I have in my mind the song so often sung by the children and in churches, “I am a winner, in Christ my Lord.” Knowing of all the loss gives singing that song on Sundays more meaning. It is in Christ alone that all the loss can be redeemed and we can “win.”
Great word bro, so proud of you!!
It is such a joy to hear how the Lord is breaking down barriers in Swaziland. I can’t wait to get back there.