How Loss, Healing, and Growth Led to God's Greater Vision
“I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. ”
Have you ever been shocked to find gaps in your own understanding? Blind spots are only more complex in intercultural settings. For ICT learner D., God used ICT’s intercultural training, other learner’s cultures, and personal struggles to transform her understanding and her heart for greater fruitfulness.
Focus Group meeting on accessibility of church with parents of children with disabilities, educators, and therapists from 3 churches.
D. came to us after wide experience, most recently in leadership with an NGO serving a Muslim-majority country in Southeast Asia. Each transition between roles “shaped my understanding of service and community,” fostering “a deep desire for meaningful impact.” Her time studying with ICT was no exception.
Though cost and the secular education norm had long hindered further education, in 2023, through a friend’s “unexpected recommendation,” D. joined ICT. As “God’s divine provision, He had already prepared the path ahead before I even realized I needed it.” Learning that transformation encompasses spiritual, emotional, and relational dimensions, not only physical, challenged D. “to rethink past approaches, recognizing… where engagement with communities… imposed solutions without fully involving them.” This reshaped her to pursue true transformation “led by God’s vision rather than human agendas.” Likewise, class discussion revealed differing cultural expectations, deepening understanding as she confronted her own unconscious cultural biases.
“It has been eye-opening to see how cultural biases shape perceptions.”
Yet God had more in mind. After 13 years with her NGO, D. “sensed a transition approaching... Seeking clarity, I decided to take a six-month sabbatical to reset and refresh.” Blindsided when the organization instead asked her to step down immediately, she entered a season of wrestling and doubt. “Yet, the sabbatical became a gift from God… a season of redemption.” God’s provision, walking the Camino de Santiago with her children, and the warm acceptance of churches and the ICT community upheld her through her healing journey.
Celebrating Eid Festival with Muslim ladies who are part of the community exercise group at the park.
Eventually, “God opened doors… and reignited my passion for serving people with disabilities… [integrating] my new knowledge in the ministries that I serve.” As D. walks in obedience in this new season, “my prayer is to continue sharing God’s vision of shalom, challenging my own blind spots, and encouraging communities to seek His direction. Transformation is not merely about social change—it is about aligning our hearts, hands, and minds with God’s kingdom purpose.”
“Transformation is not merely about social change—it is about aligning our hearts, hands, and minds with God’s kingdom purpose.”
We invite you to join us in praising God for how He is moving and working in and through our students, answering prayers and unfolding His plans for each one through the prayer gatherings and classes.
Please pray!
For D. as she steps into a new season of service. May she bring blessing and transformation to many as she is herself transformed in abiding in Christ.
For wisdom, perseverance, and the Holy Spirit’s power as our students carry out their class projects and assignments and a good end to the academic year.
For peace and stability in the areas where our students live, especially in Nigeria with the recent unrest. May God bring healing, lasting fruit, and blessing, and give wisdom and grace as they faithfully serve Him.
For healing, wisdom, peace, and deliverance for our multi-national Serve Team (staff), and God’s hand over the way forward through this season of transition.
For God’s presence, peace, provision, protection, wisdom, health, strength, joy, and blessing for all in ICT. May God’s power, glory, and grace be over us all.
Thank you for joining us as God builds the Institute for Community Transformation and through us furthers flourishing communities, marked by His shalom, among all peoples!
