Christian leaders learn to overcome

The violence has not just taken a physical toll on the victims; it has also scarred their souls and shattered their emotional fabric. The sudden calamity brought hopelessness, despair and questions that caused the beginning of spiritual decline in many. 

The pastor of a small church in Kandhamal lost everything during the riots. Trembling at the memory, he described how a mob demanded that he worship Hindu gods by chanting mantras. When he refused, he was beaten severely with sticks and rods.

The pastor narrowly escaped death, but he was resentful and angry at his helpless situation. How could he possibly minister to his congregation when he was so traumatised?

He was not alone. Whenever the Open Doors team ventured into the affected areas or relief camps, they witnessed the anger and hatred that the victims felt towards the perpetrators of the violence, the fear and depression of not being able to go back to their homes, and the utter hopelessness of being dependent on the mercy of other people. 

Along with all of this, many also faced a constant pressure to convert to Hinduism or face the consequences. Clearly these believers needed a lot more than just material support. Many were suffering the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Open Doors stepped up to meet this need, with the help of volunteer doctors and experts from Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI), by initiating the process of trauma counselling.

However, they were unable to find volunteers from outside Orissa; so 36 people, mostly local pastors who had been traumatised themselves, were first debriefed, counselled and then given intensive training to become trauma counsellors. Every five days during the training period, the pastors went back to the camps and villages to put their newly acquired skills into practice.

The traumatised pastor from Kandhamal was one of the first to benefit from the counselling and now says he finally has his faith back!