ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Mission Network) — As David Shenk tried to fall asleep, terrifying images of the refugees’ stories of escape ran through his head.
He imagined the death threats and tense midnight escapes from the violence in Colombia. He saw how hard it was to build a new life after leaving everything behind.
Shenk serves as the coordinator of the Quito Mennonite Church refugee project, which receives much of its funding from Mennonite Central Committee Colombia. He is sent by Mennonite Mission Network and Virginia Mennonite Missions.
Shenk listens to the refugees’ stories and decides how the organization can best help them with food, housing, microloans, and asylum applications. The issues people were dealing with began to get overwhelming, and he identified in himself the symptoms of fatigue and overwork that can come from social work.
Refugees often arrive in Ecuador with only the clothes on their back since they had to leave Colombia so quickly. Their land and livelihood were forcefully taken from them in Colombia. When they flee to Ecuador, most are unable to find work; those that do are often not paid a fair wage. Some sleep on mats on the floor and go hungry.
“I felt constantly stressed by the situations people were dealing with, and I struggled to respond,” said Shenk. “It felt like my mind was constantly churning and I couldn’t stop thinking about the things different refugees were experiencing that seemed unsolvable.”
When Shenk heard of the Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience program (STAR) from Eastern Mennonite University, he brought the idea to César Moya and Patricia Urueña, who together provide pastoral leadership for Quito Mennonite Church. They were sent to serve by the Colombia Mennonite Church, Mennonite Mission Network, and Central Plains Mennonite Conference.
The couple agreed that a workshop on how to deal with the difficult circumstances of refugees would be useful to workers, pastors and church leaders since many refugee families participate in Mennonite ministries.
The workshop, held in late October, helped participants understand the psychology behind the behaviors of the refugees who’ve had intense traumatic experiences. As the staff members understand the effects of violence and stress on the refugees, they feel better prepared to make decisions on how to serve refugees.
Paul Stucky, a certified facilitator for STAR workshops, who lives in Colombia and works with the Colombia Mennonite Church justice and peace programs, led the weekend seminar. EMU blessed the development of the seminar based on the STAR program, and Mission Network provided funds through the Schowalter Foundation.
They learned that people who have experienced trauma may be afraid, depressed, in shock, angry, confused, disoriented, resentful, suspicious, apathetic, aggressive, and they may deal with physical ailments like headaches, digestive problems, blood pressure issues, and hypertension, Shenk said.

Participants received visuals, like the Enemy/Aggressor and Survivor/Victim Cycles, which help them to understand the psychology of violence. They also used Bible stories to illustrate the effects of traumatic experiences.
The workshop covered how the workers can avoid burnout. For example, they all did a self-test to identify their level of stress, and then learned techniques to help alleviate and avoid stress.
For those who came to the workshop at the retreat center outside of Quito, it was an opportunity to take a break and reflect on their work.
“This has been a time of growth, refreshment, and we equipped ourselves to fulfill God’s call for our lives,” wrote Tatiana Jhayya, who is part of the pastoral team at the Calderón church plant, in a thank-you letter to those who sponsored the workshop.
Shenk noted that the workshop helped him internalize a favorite Dorothy Day quote that helps keep his work in perspective: “People say, ‘What is the sense of our small effort?’ They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time."
“The training will certainly help guide how we interview, visit and accompany refugees and identify their needs,” said Shenk. “It will also help us better define our specific role as a project in the larger issue, which [helps us identify] what we can and can’t do and how we can improve our work.”
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.