a peace of home life

“Home” is a powerful theme in Anthony’s work and life. Perhaps it’s because he’s experienced life as a refugee when he was a child. Anthony is one of the original Gafotozi and he took this shot of a family in his village while developing a photo essay on village life in Rwanda.

After attending his first peace camp, Anthony started a peace club back in his village. He was selected by A Peace of Life to attend a series of peer-to-peer training in trauma and counselling – an opportunity  graciously offered by Paulette Baraka (of Gate of Hope Ministries) who led one of the workshops at our peace camp last year. See photos

Here is Anthony’s report from the most recent training (held earlier this month):

We each presented a report of the cases we had encountered after our first level of training. Then we learned about sadness, about shame and self condemning, and about violence – sexual-based violence and violence which takes place at home. One big thing which I learned about is the need to understand yourself. I hope it will help me to be  a good counselor.

But even though I was trained to counsel others, I have been counseled too because we had sufficient time to share about our life with others at the training.  I now understand how much my life had been destroyed (impacted). For instance,  I met one young boy whose brother died and the boy had a problem of depression. It has been so difficult for me to know how to help him because I realized his background history was the same as mine.

I’ve just helped two other people in my village with their problems and I’m really looking forward to attending the next level of training which will take place the end of July. 

We really thank you for how you care about the soul of Rwandans and looking for all possible ways to heal injuries (trauma) including those left by the Genocide Against the Tutsi in 1994.

May God bless A Peace of Life, and bless Baraka.  She is a real counselor and trainer. Truly you may not have an idea of how peaceful my heart is after these workshops. I have made many steps towards my healing, and I’m ready to help others to reach the healing stage I’m at.

A Peace of Life is now helping Anthony to work on a book to share his life story. He will also be sharing his learning with youth at the next peace camp to be held in November 2012.