Professional Documents
Culture Documents
April 2018 Newsletter
April 2018 Newsletter
April 2018 Newsletter
Family genogram after family genogram was presented, often with tears and choked emotion
as four Ukrainian couples shared their stories of childhood. Many of them were in their 30’s and
40’s and so could remember what it was like to live in a Communist country as a child. Many of
them had grown up in families often riddled by alcohol abuse, boys finding street gangs with which
to find their identity, parental marriages that were often conflicted or broken, childhood experiences
often characterized by abuse, neglect, and emotional and physical abandonment.
Marty and I had wondered how it would work to have not just one couple sharing their story
with us, but four couples together. We had seen the power of being a couple with one couple alone,
providing safety and understanding for the couple to share their story. But 4 couples at once? The
answer was miraculous! Even though these couples knew each other from their respective church
communities, most of them had not shared their stories with each other. There was so much pain
and shame connected to them that they didn’t want to become vulnerable and feel the feelings all
over again, and in front of others!
But the power of the marriage intensive is that we facilitating couples don’t ask anything
from married couples taking the intensive that we don’t do. And Marty had shared part of her geno-
gram with the group earlier, including her own childhood abuse. We also had made it safe enough
with the Holy Spirit’s help to have them learn to be vulnerable in front of each other in learning to
rejoice and give each other comfort.
So as the genogram stories were being told in Ukraine in groups of four couples each, and
then again with the same size groups in Slovenia, some healing occurred as couples realized that
they were not alone. They were able to give comfort to each other as members of the body of Christ.
As Marty and I said our goodbyes to our fellow Ukrainian and Slovenian couples it felt like we were
leaving behind us precious communities of healing couples. Thanks be to God! Peter Everts
We now have a Website if you would like to
maybe share with others.
Contributions can be made to: havenofhopeinternational.org
Haven of Hope
13427 Pond Springs Rd. Austin, TX.
78729 Also for your convenience anyone can go online
Or Online Donations to make a donation.
1. Go to this link http:// 1. Go to this link http://
www.northwestfellowship.com/
media-center www.northwestfellowship.com/ media-
2. Select Give on Line center
3. Go to drop down box and select 2. Select Give on Line
Haven of Hope.
3. Go to drop down box and select Haven of
mjuarez45@live.com Hope.
patjuarez1@live.com
U.S.A. Phone Number!
512/573-8400 Mark