A trauma healing training for local pastors in Unguja is in the beginning process and will be held over the course of the next year. Because Christianity is the minority religion in Zanzibar, the Christians and specifically the pastors in the community have faced much persecution. Pastor Amos (pictured above) had just finished building his church when the Muslim leaders claimed to own his land and as a result, they burnt down his building so that they could build their mosque.

It is times like these where these local pastors and Christians have to choose to continue to love their neighbors and find peace between each other. The trauma healing trainings are going to be used to conduct education and awareness trainings to enlighten the pastors of their ordinary rights as Christians and serve as a protection tool for them within their communities. In addition, these trainings will provide psychological support to the 30 participating pastors while also providing legal support to address their cases. We hope and pray that as a result of these trainings, there will be a reduction of attacks and persecutions and that in the case of an attack, fewer community members will be involved. These pastors are responsible for educating their congregations on how to approach these situations so as ALARM empowers these pastors, they too can empower their congregations.