Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Gratia Counceling Center, Goma

Gratia Counseling Center
Gratia Counseling Center (right photo)was started in Goma, DRC one year ago by Daphrose Muteho Kyakimwa. She attended the first conference we did on the effects of abuse and healing in May 2007. As a result she, a high school teacher, decided that the school needed a counselor for the students who were deeply traumatized. She persisted, also attended our second training last year, and a year ago opened up this center (photo on right). Gratia is located in the very center of the school grounds - Daphrose says the heart of a person is their center and so Gratia should be physically representative of that. In this past year alone Daphrose (left photo: Daphrose in blue blouse with her family) and her team have counseled 534 students, mentored 255 students through a Bible correspondence course, helped 500 students with reading, helped a group of 90 orphans (and still are), mediated between students, parents and teachers in 780 cases, seen 336 kids become believers, shown 16 Christian movies, prevented multiple suicides, got 336 students to pledge sexual abstinence until marriage, mentored 50 youth leaders (still ongoing), and are currently talking to other school districts to implement similar counseling models in their schools throughout the country. What an incredible woman of God. Please pray for her.