Some wounds don’t bleed but ache quietly in the heart, I have come to know. Sometimes, the hardest battles are the ones no one else can see, the ones we carry in silence. Trauma isn’t just about what happened to you, but also about what changed inside you because of it.
Whether it came through abuse, loss, betrayal, or sudden tragedy, trauma leaves behind invisible scars that can shape how we see ourselves and the world. But here’s the truth: You are not broken beyond repair. Healing is not only possible; it’s already reaching for you. This article is a gentle invitation to begin that journey, one step, one breath, one moment of hope at a time. This is my story…
My trauma stemmed from a tragic car accident that my family and I were involved in on our way to visit my sister in-law in Beitbridge in December 2023. An oncoming car entered our lane, and just like that, I lost it all in the blink of an eye. My son and my husband both died on the spot, and by some miracle, I survived the accident, but sustained severe injuries.
What others saw as a miracle; I saw as a curse and I often found myself wishing I had passed on with my family. I no longer saw the purpose of living. I had become a shell of myself. Physically, my arms were broken and I could not walk for three months. Mentally, I was depressed, and emotionally, I felt like my soul had been shattered.
There was nothing anyone could say or do that could make me feel better. I carried on in this state for months as I lay in the hospital bed, unable to move on my own. Eventually, I was discharged from the hospital, and my family took the initiative to take me to counselling. It was during the counselling that my counsellor helped me to begin to see the reality of my situation. I slowly began to accept what I had gone through and what I had lost.
However, there was still a part of me that felt like the therapy sessions were not very helpful. I think what I needed at the time was not just professional counselling but biblical counselling. I found myself asking myself if I really knew Jesus and if I wanted to truly know him.
One of the things I started doing was listening to worship songs, especially when I felt low. I couldn’t master the strength to pray at the time, but I always found peace in listening to the music and always felt uplifted. I began to read the Bible again to get to know Jesus more intimately.
With that desire to know Jesus for myself still brewing within me, an aunt of mine then reached out and introduced me to a church community of widows known as New Life Oasis at Celebration Ministries International. That’s where I met Pastor Rutendo Mtungwazi, the author of This Is the Beginning of a New Life for You.
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I would say that was the beginning of my turning point. Hearing the stories of what the other women had experienced helped me realise that I am alive for a reason, and it is only God who knows the plan/purpose he has for my life. So instead of looking at my life as a tragedy, I began looking at it as a second chance. All these things worked together to bring forth my healing slowly but surely.
However, the healing journey was not that easy. I still found myself withdrawing from people and isolating myself. I was still going through pain, anger, and frustration. Sometimes I would think that I had moved on, then something would trigger me and I would feel like I was moving backwards again. I often felt like giving up, but it is by the grace of God that I kept going. I thank God that my family and friends still continued to surround me with love, support, patience, and prayers.
The trauma I endured has shifted my perspective on life in the sense that I now understand when the scriptures say, “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), meaning many human pursuits and accomplishments are ultimately fleeting, meaningless, and without lasting significance. It emphasizes the temporary nature of worldly things and suggests that true fulfillment cannot be found in them but in God instead. Furthermore, I have come to understand that all life ultimately belongs to God and not us and we do not get a say in who lives and who dies, but we can rest assured that if we allow him, God will be our comforter through it all.
I would like to encourage those who have experienced trauma and are going through their healing journey to not lose hope, to be patient with themselves, and to trust God even when you are angry with him.
To families caring for someone who has been through trauma, I encourage you to be patient and allow them the time they need to heal. Don’t push them to recover quickly—healing is a gradual process.
