A dream fulfilled

Two years ago I visited India and listened to the community workers in the  BLESS program as they shared the work they were doing in health, micro-enterprise and education in outlying villages.  I watched the way they used song and drama to teach the principles and I found myself longing to introduce them to the Groups of Hope Program.

I was thrilled this year when David asked Shirley and I to do a Retreat for the community workers.  It was an opportunity to take them through the eight sessions in the program and to give them pointers about how to facilitate the groups.

Their enthusiasm was infectious – we laughed and learned together and experienced again just how powerful the simple lessons from the Groups of Hope can be to bring a sense of improved self-worth and inner joy and healing to hearts that are burdened.

As they presented us with beautiful Indian sheets that were hand dyed in colourful patterns and invited us to come back, a Spanish expression came to my mind:  “You have left a large footprint in my heart” . That is how we felt – that we will not forget the their warm welcome, their passion and sense of humour and their eagerness to put into practice what they have learned in the past two days.

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