The Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has urged victims of trauma to always speak out and seek help from trained trauma healing facilitators and health experts.
Pastor Samuel Sanusi, the General-Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of BSN, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
NAN reports that Sanusi spoke against the backdrop of the World Humanitarian Day (WHD) celebrated annually on August 19.
The theme of the 2022 WHD was: “It Takes a Village.”
Sanusi said that the society and even Christianity had made people to think it was normal to bottle up challenges.
He said that people who opened up were perceived as people without faith and weaklings.
”It is difficult for people that have deep heart wounds to open up because they don’t know who to trust.
“This is because some of them trusted someone in the time past, and they got hurt.
“A major challenge we face is getting people to open up.
“Another challenge is the complexity of the challenges people face especially the current situation in Nigeria.
“This sometimes require a combination of different health professionals to come together to provide help,” Sanusi said.
He assured persons of different traumatic experience not to lose hope, adding that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“According to Isaiah 41: 10, God says “So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.
“I will uphold you with my righteous right hand,” Sanusi said.
Sanusi noted that there were thousands of people out there who were in the business of caring for the heart – psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, trauma and healing facilitators, among others.
He said that it was important to honour these professionals during this period because they go through a lot to bring succour to the broken hearted.
“One of the first ministries of Jesus is the ministry of trauma healing.
“According to Isaiah 61:1 Jesus said:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives.
“And opening of the prison to those who are bound,” he said.
Sanusi said that BSN would continue committed to encourage these professionals to continue the good work as they are helping to extend the ministry of Jesus on earth.
“Their reward shall be great in Heaven.
“At the Bible Society, we care not only for the spiritual lives of people but we also care for their hearts.
“This is because only a healed heart will be prepared to receive the word of God.
“Through our trauma healing programmes, we are reaching out to thousands of Nigerians.
“According to an unknown author, your trauma is not your fault, but healing is your responsibility.
“We urge those going through trauma to open up to our trusted trauma healing facilitators and other health professionals who will help to facilitate their healing,” Sanusi said.
The World Humanitarian Day is set aside to remember and honour those bringing succour and healing to the vulnerable and most abandoned by the society.
It is also a day set-aside to salute the memory of persons who paid the supreme price in the quest to bring meaning, hope and healing to the most vulnerable.
The Bible Society of Nigeria, through its trauma healing sessions, have given hope to thousands of Nigerians whose hearts have been shattered by one problem or the other.
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