October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed in October 1987. This Month evolved out of the first Day of Unity  in October, 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The Day of Unity was started with the idea of connecting advocats across the country in their efforts to battle violence against women and children.  It eventually became a special week which included many activities conducted at many levels, and now has activities scheduled throughout the whole month of October each year.  The Day of Unity is still celebrated on the first Monday in October, which starts the month of awareness off in a powerful way.

Here are some resources available to get involved and informed about Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Domestic Violence Awareness Project

website: http://dvam.vawnet.org

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

website: http://www.ncadv.org

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

website: http://www.nrcdv.org

]]> http://www.mendingthesoul.org/2009/10/domestic-violence-awareness-month/feed/ http://www.mendingthesoul.org/2009/08/35th-annual-national-organization-for-victim-assistance-conference/ http://www.mendingthesoul.org/2009/08/35th-annual-national-organization-for-victim-assistance-conference/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:45:13 +0000 dmallory http://www.mendingthesoul.org/?p=723 Presentation by Christine F. Stephenson, M.Div., Ph.D.  

Community Partnerships: A Faith Based Healing Model for Abuse Survivors

The body of Christ is called to minister to the broken. This workshop will not only provide a theological filter for understanding the effects of abuse and healing, but will also offer a practical “field tested” model for sustainable abuse healing in various contexts-both lay and professional. This healing ministry model is being utilized by churches and agencies in the U.S. and in the developing world.

Please visit the conference website www.trynova.org/conference/ for specific information and registration.

 35th Annual North American Victim Assistance Conference

Conference dates - August 23-27, 2009

at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa

Community Partnerships: A Faith Based Healing Model for Abuse Survivors

The body of Christ is called to minister to the broken. This workshop will not only provide a theological filter for understanding the effects of abuse and healing, but will also offer a practical “field tested” model for sustainable abuse healing in various contexts-both lay and professional. This healing ministry model is being utilized by churches and agencies in the U.S. and in the developing world.

Please visit the conference website www.amfmconference.com for specific information and registration.

 2009 Marriage and Family Training Conference

August 4-6, 2009

at the Arizona Grand Resort

Please pray for this team as they do the final preparations to leave and then pray for them as they minister to the people in Honduras.  We ask also for prayer for those who will receive this teaching… and may God receive all the glory!!

Kampala was just incredible - God did amazing things through the conference there. This conference was designed to educate leaders in the care of abused children through the use of a new resource “Caring for the Vulnerable Child” by Steve and Celestia Tracy.  The Director’s of World Vision and Compassion International were among many leaders who were in attendance. They loved the model and the curriculum and want to use it with many other ministries across Africa. 

Here are some instances of how the Lord has been glorified through this conference already.  We found out that one of the attendees informed one of our leaders about a girl who was being raped by her father and believed nothing could be done to stop him. Our leader told the right person who then went and confronted the father.  He denied the abuse, but his daughter was given the courage to speak out and say it was true. The father was arrested and the girl is now being given money by the government for support and her care. The team also came in contact with a ministry organizer of an organization that deals with 400 children who believes and declared to the entire conference that children must receive pain (a gift from God) in order to repent and be better. Through this conference his evil was exposed and he was reported for his abusive behavior.  Those are just a couple of specific examples of the way the Lord used this conference to impact His people here.  In addition, many, many people at the conference took down the numbers to report abusers. Person after person has commented on how much they learned, how the conference was a blessing to them, and how they have been given information on how to help children who have been abused including assisting them in the healing process.

 The response has been so overwhelmingly good…they want us to come back again! We understand that what happened through this conference is unprecedented in Kampala.  We also have learned that the resources we taught with are already being used by those who attended to teach others!  We serve such a huge God who loves His children!!

Caution - This article contains graphic content. 

Congo Women Speak Out About Rape

Newsletter - Congo 2009

Christine, Peggy, and David are in Africa!  Please continue to pray for them and for Steve as he will be joining them shortly. 

Click on the link below to view the newsletter for information regarding the plan, their schedule, and how you can specifically pray for them while they are ministering to those the Lord sends.  We have also included a link to Christine’s blog to check and see what she is posting!

Newsletter - Congo 2009

Christine’s Blog

Couples in Conversation About Discipleship, Gender Roles, Decision Making and Intimacy

by  William & Aída Spencer and Steve & Celestia Tracy

Ever wondered how complementarian and egalitarian marriages play out differently? This unique book brings together two couples from the differing perspectives to dialogue about marriage in practice. While the theological starting points are different, you may be surprised to see the degree of convergence.

Click here to go to the MTS Store and purchase Marriage at the Crossroads!

We are very excited to announce the 3rd Edition of the Workbook is now available!  We would like to thank everyone who gave their input and time into make the revisions included in this new edition.  Please join us in giving a special thanks to McMurry and Dan Brenner for their expertise.

This new workbook looks smaller in size but it is definately filled with everything from previous versions plus a bit more!  Thanks to all of you who waited patiently for this resource to once again be available.

The Mending the Soul 3rd Edition Workbook can be purchased for $29.99 (USD) in our MTS store.  To visit the store, please click on this link:  MTS Store

Mending the Soul Healing Art Handbook

This book has been dedicated to the women of the Deomocratic Republic of Congo as it was first created and used to minister to them in the summer of 2008.  We had so many requests for the resource that we decided to make it widely available.  This handbook includes many pictures from artist James VanFossan and gives the user the opportunity to express their own journey through art.

The Mending the Soul Healing Art Handbook is available in our MTS store for $19.99 (USD).  To visit the store you may click this link:  MTS Store