You prayed and God answered.

Thanksgiving weekend (not a holiday here in Costa Rica) was the date we celebrated the “Retreat against Domestic Violence”.  I knew that it was going to be a heavy experience, but it was also a time of healing and ministry.

Not all those who attended had been victims of domestic violence.  However, the retreat created a space to look at ourselves and see how negative experiences in our past had shaped us today.  It was also a chance to learn about domestic violence and all the factors that contribute to it. 

In one of the exercises each pair followed the story of a woman trapped in domestic violence.    We had to choose what to do and follow through on that choice.  Unfortunately, in my case, Rosa´s story took me to the “Abuse Happens” station four times, and I ended up being killed by my partner while trying to protect a baby son.  Afterwards, several women shared their own stories and how different people had hindered them or helped them leave their abusive situations.

That evening we celebrated a Prayer Labyrinth (maze) experience in the camp gym.  We were to enter the canvas pathway asking God to remove the dark things within us that we needed out such as bad memories and experiences, fear, insensitivity or sins.  When we reached the center, many chose to have the leaders pray for them individually, then returned to walk out of the labyrinth thanking God for all the good gifts and the new things in their future.  It was a very moving, healing experience (as well as very draining).

Sunday we learned about filling ourselves with good things provided by God and did various exercises to help each one realize her strengths and weaknesses (integral personal development makes us less likely to be victimized as well as being something God calls us to do).  We also heard about alternatives for escaping and fighting domestic violence.  We ended with a worship service in which the women committed to pray for and support an individual woman that they knew was suffering aggression of some type.    

There were many tears shed that weekend, but 38 women left with new hope in their eyes, having experienced God’s love “in the flesh”.  This weekend really showed me the nitty-gritty of the Pastoral Care for Women ministry.

During this Christmas season we celebrate that God sent Jesus to love us “in the flesh”.  Thank you for praying and financially supporting this ministry, to pass Jesus´ love on to others.