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Yay! It has finally happened!

By Mercy Manyema

This blog has been a long time coming. I toyed with the idea for some years, but the timing just never seemed right. For a person who has always been known to be quiet and reserved, I have realised that I actually have a lot to say about a lot of things. I daresay that knack has often landed me in trouble 😅. A blog seemed a perfect way to have my say about the things that matter not only to me but to those around me, and to society at large. 

So what will his blog be about? - all things mental health. It feels like a big part of my life has been preparing me for this very moment – more of that in coming posts. I want to join the ranks of many who have gone before me to raise awareness and facilitate dialogue on mental health issues, especially in the African and Christian contexts. I hope to draw insights from my experience in public health research as well as psychology/counselling, and theology.

Mental health challenges are no respecter of persons. We all go through overwhelming experiences in life regardless of our religion, age, race, social or economic standing. When we go through these experiences, we need someone to come alongside us, and to help us walk the journey to healing and wholeness. The word Parakaleo is a Greek word meaning "to call to one's side; to comfort, encourage and exhort”. It describes the essence of the ministry of helping and counselling, of which this blog is a part. More information on the ministry itself will be shared in due course. 

Apart from raising awareness, the aim of the blog is to encourage, comfort, and to urge on anyone facing mental health challenges, as well as their families. It is about shedding light into a subject that is seldom spoken about and yet affects us at all levels of society. Above all else, this blog seeks to bring hope. 

So, join me on this journey of exploration, and of hope as we seek to know more, and do better. Leave a comment with suggestions of mental health topics you would like to see discussed on the blog. 




Comments

  1. Otillia Nyandoro MakwarimbaMay 12, 2022 at 9:31 PM

    Drug and substance use ,cause,and effect on mental health

    ReplyDelete

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