For those who work with children every day, there are moments when a new perspective changes everything.
For Anya Letsatsi, Director of Children and Families at United in Crisis South Africa, the Walking with Wounded Children course did exactly that.
Having spent years serving children and families, Anya already believed that children are deeply important to God. She understood that every child has value, purpose, and a place in His Kingdom. Yet, after completing Petra Institute’s two-week Walking with Wounded Children course, her understanding of how healing takes place in the lives of vulnerable children was transformed.
A Shift in Perspective
“I've always felt that the Lord has a dream for children,” Anya explains. “He has a plan for children, and they are a major priority.”
What surprised her most was how the course challenged her assumptions about helping children through trauma.
“My biggest takeaway is that we should let children lead. My paradigm has shifted in terms of how I see children leading in the process of healing trauma.”
Rather than viewing healing as something adults do for children, Anya discovered the importance of creating safe spaces where children can guide their own journey toward healing.
Practical Tools for Real-Life Ministry
One of the strengths of the course is its balance between theory and practical application.
Anya was particularly excited about the wide range of tools provided during the training.
“The sandbox, drawing activities, therapeutic stories —there have been so many phenomenal tools.”
Working in communities facing significant challenges, she immediately recognised how valuable these resources would be.
“In my context of creating safe spaces in challenging communities, something like the sandbox will be a phenomenal tool. I plan to use it in the next few days.”
The course not only provides knowledge but equips participants with practical methods they can implement immediately in their own contexts.
Encountering God Through Relationship
A key part of the Walking with Wounded Children course involves practical sessions with children.
For Anya, one of the most meaningful experiences was spending time with a young boy named Jayden.
Over five sessions, she watched a relationship develop and deepen.
“It was really special just to catch God's heart for this little boy,” she reflects.
As trust grew, Jayden became increasingly open about his life, his family, and some of the difficult experiences he had faced.
Anya learned that he was experiencing significant challenges both at school and at home. In fact, he had been sent home from school for smoking just one day before one of their sessions.
Despite these struggles, something remarkable happened.
“I felt like the Lord created a safe space for him to open up his heart and share.”
Through patience, consistency, and a relationship built on trust, Jayden began speaking about painful losses and experiences that he had previously kept hidden.
“I really felt that the Lord was involved in the process, ”Anya says. “To hear God's voice and to be as gentle as He is with us was very special for me.”
More Than a Trauma Course
When asked how she would describe the training to others, Anya does not hesitate.
“This was not just a typical children's crisis course or trauma course.”
In fact, she describes it as one of the best training programmes she has ever attended.
What stood out was the way the course combines clear teaching with hands-on practice.
“The theory was shared so clearly, but then we were taken step by step through the process and allowed to practise it.”
Rather than leaving with only knowledge, participants leave with experience.
“We're actually going home having practised the skills and knowing that we can use them straight away.”
She was also impressed by the depth of the material covered in such a short time.
“The tools, the frameworks, the strategies, the guidance on next steps — I've never attended a course like this.”
Equipped to Make a Difference
For Anya, the Walking with Wounded Children course was more than training. It was a transformative experience that changed how she sees children, trauma, healing, and her own role in the process.
Most importantly, it equipped her to return to her community with practical skills, renewed confidence, and a deeper understanding of God's heart for wounded children.
As she reflects on her experience, one thing is clear: healing happens when children are given the opportunity to be seen, heard, and gently guided in safe, caring relationships.
And sometimes, the greatest lesson is learning to let children lead the way. 🌿
