{"id":11580,"date":"2021-06-03T23:50:48","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T21:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/?p=11580"},"modified":"2021-06-03T23:50:48","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T21:50:48","slug":"i-hear-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2021\/06\/03\/i-hear-you\/","title":{"rendered":"I hear you"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\n(Photo: Irene Bom)<\/span><\/p>\n

 
\nI’m subscribed to the GOODNEWSLETTER<\/a> – a weekly dose of five good news stories to counter cynicism and despair, to awaken hope. <\/p>\n

This week’s GOODNEWSLETTER opens with a wonderful story from Zimbabwe about the Friendship Bench<\/strong>, a groundbreaking mental health programme based on evidence-based talk therapy, offered for free by trained grandmothers in more than 70 communities around the country. <\/p>\n

Here’s an excerpt about one of the grandmothers serving her community as part of this programme: <\/p>\n

Chinhoyi, who is 72, has lost count of the number of people she has treated on an almost daily basis over the past 10-plus years. She regularly meets with HIV-positive individuals, drug addicts, people suffering from poverty and hunger, unhappy married couples, lonely older people and pregnant, unmarried young women. Regardless of their background or circumstances, she begins her sessions the same way: \u201cI introduce myself and I say, \u2018What is your problem? Tell me everything, and let me help you with my words.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

After hearing the individual\u2019s story, Chinhoyi guides her patient until he or she arrives at a solution on their own. Then, until their issue is completely resolved, she follows up with the person every few days to make sure they are sticking to the plan. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 
\nOn the BBC Future<\/a> website you can read more about the Friendship Bench<\/strong> and how the programme is spreading to other countries. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n

I Do Believe<\/h3>\n

I believe in God whose light shines in the darkness,
\nand the darkness can never smother it.<\/p>\n

I believe in the Word who has become incarnate,
\nour very flesh and blood,
\nyet full of grace and truth.<\/p>\n

I believe in the blessed appearing of the salvation of our God,
\nthat is for the happiness of all people.<\/p>\n

I believe in his name as Wonderful Counsellor,
\nMighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace;
\nof the increase of his rule and of his unique peace
\nthere will be no end.
\nThe zeal of the God of hosts will do this.<\/p>\n

This I surely believe!<\/p>\n

 
\n~ written by Bruce Prewer<\/strong>, posted on Bruce Prewer\u2019s Homepage<\/a>. (adapted)
\n <\/p>\n\n

 
\nFrom the blog<\/strong>
\nTurn to the light<\/a>
\nTheme: Good news<\/a>  [prayer sheet<\/span>]
\nShow me the way<\/a>
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Photo: Irene Bom)   I’m subscribed to the GOODNEWSLETTER – a weekly dose of five good news stories to counter cynicism and despair, to awaken hope. This week’s GOODNEWSLETTER opens with a wonderful story from Zimbabwe about the Friendship Bench, a groundbreaking mental health programme based on evidence-based talk therapy, offered for free by trained … Continue reading “I hear you”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7,136,31,60],"tags":[202],"class_list":["post-11580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","category-confession","category-on-the-news","category-story","tag-hear"],"yoast_head":"\nI hear you - 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The mix-up of 'get' and 'forget' means now I can't forget this young man out of my mind. 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The story is taken from the opening chapter of Gertrud Mueller Nelson's book, To Dance with God (1986). Some years ago, I spent an afternoon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "call to worship"","block_context":{"text":"call to worship","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/call-to-worship\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/praise_the_lord_for_he_is_altogether_good_psalm135.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8634,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2019\/12\/14\/theme-good-news\/","url_meta":{"origin":11580,"position":3},"title":"Theme: Good news","author":"Irene Bom","date":"December 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"PDF version \u00a0 This prayer sheet is inspired by the December 2019 theme of the month: Story. In these prayers we reflect on the significance and impact of the good news that Jesus came into the world to seek and save the lost. For personal use or to share. A.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "prayer sheet"","block_context":{"text":"prayer sheet","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer-sheet\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/good_news_great_joy_2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/good_news_great_joy_2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/good_news_great_joy_2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11623,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2021\/06\/15\/hear-and-answer\/","url_meta":{"origin":11580,"position":4},"title":"Hear and answer","author":"Irene Bom","date":"June 15, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"(Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 Appealing to God to hear and answer is a recurring theme in the Scriptures. Here are a few examples from the Psalms: Psalm 27:7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. Psalm 55:2 ... hear me and answer me.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "prayer of intercession"","block_context":{"text":"prayer of intercession","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer-of-intercession\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shadows_on_tiles.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shadows_on_tiles.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shadows_on_tiles.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shadows_on_tiles.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12567,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2022\/02\/06\/change-from-the-inside-out\/","url_meta":{"origin":11580,"position":5},"title":"Change from the inside out","author":"Irene Bom","date":"February 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Prayer of Confession (based on Romans 12:1-8) Merciful God, we confess how easy it is for us to begin to adopt the attitudes and actions of the world around us; to let our lives be shaped by contemporary culture rather than by Your call. Lord, in Your mercy, hear\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "confession"","block_context":{"text":"confession","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/confession\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/church_reflected.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/church_reflected.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/church_reflected.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/church_reflected.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Irene Bom","author_link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/author\/irenebom-com\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/article\/\" rel=\"category tag\">article<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/confession\/\" rel=\"category tag\">confession<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/on-the-news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">on the news<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/story\/\" rel=\"category tag\">story<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"(Photo: Irene Bom)   I’m subscribed to the GOODNEWSLETTER – a weekly dose of five good news stories to counter cynicism and despair, to awaken hope. This week’s GOODNEWSLETTER opens with a wonderful story from Zimbabwe about the Friendship Bench, a groundbreaking mental health programme based on evidence-based talk therapy, offered for free by trained…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11580"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11580\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}