Orphanos TBRI Training in Colombia

How would you handle this?

You’ve uprooted your family and moved to another country to help hurting children. But the children you want to help don’t seem to want help.

They’re disruptive, disobedient, and disrespectful to any authority. Sometimes they’re downright mean to you!

Do you quit and go home? Do you drop the hammer of discipline on the kids? Do you excuse their behavior and say, “Well, they’re just broken kids. We can only do so much.”

None of those responses are appropriate.  But without training, you may not know they’re inappropriate.

There is a better way.

There are tools that God has provided us to not only correct behavior, but to draw children away from their wounds and back into the image of God they were created to display.

This past week, representatives from 10 organizations and 6 different countries gathered in Colombia for a week of TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) training. Melinda Cathey, one of our partners who specializes in this training, led the way for us.

We learned that behavior is the language of children who have lost their voice.  We learned that rules and regulations without relationship will always result in rebellion. And we learned our ability to emotionally connect with our children is the greatest predictor of their life-long success.

The training was rich. It was like drinking from a fire hose.

Orphanos friends and partners from places like Honduras, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, and Mexico were in attendance. Here are two great quotes from their experience:

“This training has given us the tools to strengthen our programs and will profoundly impact the children we work with for generations to come.”

“The biblically-based spiritual component was so helpful and took us way beyond what other conferences have offered.”

Because we are a service organization to so many missionaries and ministries, I think my favorite quote was this one:

“Orphanos sees us!  They really get us and support us where we need it!”

Apparently, we’re doing something right.

The tools given to them last week are simple to understand but difficult to implement.

I ask you to please pray for our partners! Pray that their equipping would lead to transformation as they implement these practices in the children’s ministries where they serve.

As children are cared for in stronger ways, we know the image of God in each of these little lives will become clear.  And with that, God will be glorified.  That’s a very good thing.

Grace & Peace,

Wayne Sneed

P.S. Hop over to our Facebook page to see more photos from the week!