Less than a year ago, a husband and wife team visited Garissa University College in northeast Kenya to host a Bible-based trauma healing session, a program that helps survivors of violence, abuse and natural disasters find healing through God’s Word. Because the region is prone to militant attacks, the couple shared their training with a group of 35 local students. The program equipped these students with the tools and resources needed to manage crisis and turmoil—and the means to care for their neighbors, many of whom carry deep emotional and spiritual wounds.

On the morning of April 2, an Al-Shabaab attack on Garissa University College resulted in the death of nearly 150 students. Just one of the 35 trained students survived the mass shooting; the other 34 were killed during a prayer meeting in the university’s chapel.

More than two weeks after this devastating turn of events, millions across the globe continue to mourn. Yet even through heartbreak and loss, the tragedy has shed light on the great needs of Kenya and the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

Every day, people in Garissa and the surrounding communities grapple with the instability of everyday life in Kenya. They struggle to cope with the aftermath of violence and political unrest. But through the strength and encouragement offered through Bible-based trauma healing, they can find hope. Participants acquire the tools and skills needed to respond to the challenges that have become commonplace in the Great Lakes Region, and they receive the knowledge necessary to share the healing power of God’s Word with people in great pain.

While preparing the next generation of leaders in the Great Lakes Region and beyond, we work with partners on the ground to continue reaching the people of Kenya with Bible-based trauma healing programs for children and adults. In the future, we plan to expand our reach, equipping leaders throughout the country with the resources to support, encourage and care for their hurting neighbors. And soon, we plan to release a Bible-based program over the radio, working to reach those in need through Kenyan airwaves.

Will you join us in prayer as we lift up the people living in the Great Lakes Region of Africa?
Pray for Garissa University College and the families of those lost in the Al-Shabaab attack. Ask God to heal the spiritual and emotional wounds carried by so many Kenyans, Tanzanians, Burundians, Rwandans, Ugandans and Congolese. And pray for a new generation of leaders to train and equip their neighbors in Bible-based trauma healing.