01/09/2026
POD Hosts Trauma Healing and Humanitarian Support Conference Titled “Every Life Matters”
The People Oriented Development (POD) arm of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has commenced a four-day Trauma Healing and Humanitarian Support Conference in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
The conference, themed “Every Life Matters: Restoring Hope, Providing Relief, Rebuilding Lives,” is designed to provide participants with practical and spiritual support for dealing with trauma—particularly for those who have experienced gun violence, r**e, persecution, and other forms of abuse that can leave lasting emotional and psychological wounds.
Declaring the conference open, the ECWA President, Rev. Dr. Ayuba Job Bagat, acknowledged the painful experiences of the Christian participants, emphasizing that regardless of the degree of struggle and persecution they have endured, God remains present and is able to bring healing. He encouraged participants to feel safe and at home throughout the conference, noting that they are free to cry, rest, and express their emotions without fear. He further urged them to forgive their perpetrators and pray for God to transform their hearts, reminding them that God values their lives and that they are equally valued by ECWA and its sponsor, Bread for the World, Germany. He thereafter officially declared the conference open.
Also speaking, the ECWA Assistant General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Sunday Congo, encouraged participants to open their hearts and receive the support and teachings prepared for them throughout the conference. He urged them not to allow fear to control their minds but to rely on the Word of God as a shield and source of strength.
In an address, the Director of POD, Rev. Abednego Kam, stated that the conference seeks to help participants understand that fear can be a natural response to traumatic experiences while pointing them to Christ as their ultimate shelter and source of comfort.
He added that, through biblical teaching, counselling, and humanitarian support, the programme aims to move participants from the fear and isolation caused by trauma into the protective and comforting presence of God, in line with 2 Timothy 1:7 and Psalm 56:3.
Danjuma Dickson Auta, ECWA PRO
Public Relations Unit
ECWA YOUTH Fellowship International
