Restore Lifestyle Coach Training Program? What is it? It is a unique training program for the purpose of providing well-trained, qualified workers to staff the Urban Centers of Influence here in India.
Southern Asia Division has accepted the huge challenge to establish Centers of Influence in every city with over one million in population. There are over 56 cities in India of that size, so the task is daunting, but God is not intimidated.
As the name implies, Restore Lifestyle Coach Training is a modern-day equivalent built on the concept of a Medical Missionary worker of years gone by. It seeks the Creator’s and client’s cooperation in restoring the client to a healthy lifestyle.
The Method
The coaching method is following the council that “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with people as one who desired their good. He showed sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He invited them, “Follow Me.” MH 73.
A coach will not only tell the client how to improve their health but also walk them through their healing process. The coach spends many hours assisting the client and consequently builds a trust relationship to begin telling stories from the Bible. The client listens with rapt attention to these amazing stories of God intervening in the affairs of human beings and taking upon Himself our woes and bringing healing.
However, I need to say this: our primary goal is for the conversion of each student that God has entrusted to our care because we can not share what we do not have ourselves.
Duration Of The Course, The Team And The Course Work
The training includes four months of classroom and hands-on instruction, followed by one month of practicum. The instruction includes 640 hours of classroom and 160 hours of practicum learning. When the students have completed this comprehensive training, they are prepared to work anywhere in India.
You can imagine that this training is an overwhelming project. Yes, it takes a team to organize; lead in the registration process; provide classroom instruction; guide the practicing; provide quality, wholesome food; make available personal counseling and more.
The team consists of Jessy Abraham, Dr Akash P T and Marzina, Rebecca Nowdesha, Dr. Daniel and Lorna Dreher, and Dr. Edward and Cheryl Dunn. There are many other very important support staff, who work tirelessly to provide this quality learning experience for the students.
The classes have both spiritual and health instruction. They include Christian Church History, Share the Way of Life, Find the Way of Life, Experience the Way of Life, Follow the Way of Life, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, Community Outreach, Book Sales, Sabbath Programme Planning, Anatomy and Physiology, Health Laws, Massage, Hydrotherapy, Nutrition, Healthful Cooking, Mental Health Issues, Lifestyle Diseases, Simple Remedies, First Aid, Ethics, and Homestay plans.
We do our best to make students successful and that includes supervised study hall. This actually is a university course and is not for the faint of heart, it is for serious workers and leaders in God’s last day Church.
The third batch of students has completed training at this time. The students come from all over India, but mostly from Tamil Nadu. The news has spread and several students from Bangladesh are attending the third batch. We also have a student from Sri Lanka. Our students come to us from many different backgrounds, such as engineers, teachers, pharmacists, physicians, pastors, students, and nurses, and are between 18 and 70 years old. We try to expose them to a wide range of leaders and leadership opportunities.
Our former students come back to visit and share with our current students the ministry and mission they are involved in and it is very rewarding to hear of the experiences they have enjoyed in their service to God and humanity. We have students working in Jaipur, Kolkata, NE India, Mizoram, Surat, Madurai, and other places.
By the end of our training, students and staff have bonded into an amazing spiritual family and of course our Friday evening vespers service is key to that process, ending with the song, “I Want to Go to Heaven”.