Intercultural Marriage and Marriage Pastoral Training

Why should a church invest in guidance for intercultural couples? In this article, learn about Claude and Corina Mushikangondo’s training and the experiences of fellow pastors within the ICP network…

In recent years, Claude and Corina Mushikangondo have provided training and workshops on the Intercultural Marriage Relationship and Intercultural Marriage Chaplaincy to pastoral workers and intercultural couples at various locations within our network. They are experts themselves 😉 and both have a lot of heart for God’s multi-colored church. Corina has completed her training (EFT) and is working on a booklet about Intercultural Pastoral Care with mixed couples.

ICP believes that the relationships and marriages in our churches are important and valuable to families and to the church. In an intercultural marriage the challenges can sometimes be great and then we can help each other. We would like to encourage all pastors and pioneers to pay attention to intercultural marriages and the care of this precious covenant between people.

You can contact Corina without obligation (tel. 0628812666) to investigate what she can do for you in this area.

We asked two pastors, who have worked with Claude and Corina, to tell us why as a church you should want to invest in this training?

Response from ICF Utrecht (Pastor Jasper de Kok):

We experienced this as very positive. Claude and Corina visited us once and organized one separate session from a distance. At this first session there were 15 intercultural couples present, at the second ten or eleven. This mainly concerns Dutch-African and Dutch-Asian couples. It helps them a lot to just discuss it and find mutual recognition.

Claude and Corina guide this in a very nice way. It has really had a blessing effect in our church.

Response from ICF Rotterdam-Zuid (Pastor Coen Legemaate):

It seems obvious to me why other churches should also invest in this. You can do so much at the front end of problems… It starts with the fact that by participating in such a training you indicate to each other that you consider each other worthy..

Contact office@icpnetwork.nl or call Corina (0628812666) for more information.

Freedom Focus for Healing Emotional Wounds

By: Corina Mushikangondo, relationship therapist (EFT) has her own practice and regularly contributes to the ICP network as a trainer in intercultural marriage ministry.

We want to help but what, when and how?
They had been coming to our church for years. A woman with a face marked by disappointment and pain. She smiled a lot and liked to chat but wasn’t really happy. And then that young lady, always lavishly dressed but sometimes so withdrawn and defensive in contact. I could go on and on…

As a pastor or pastoral worker you look into the eyes of some sisters and you suspect a deep pain. You would like to give them all more attention and love and tell them that there is restoration with God! But you lack time, and sometimes also insight on how to approach it. Fortunately, since last year we have been given a beautiful tool that helps women recover from emotional wounds. The Freedom Focus course, developed in ICU Gouda. (also read this article of February 1, 2022).

Report first course evening ICF Rotterdam
In ICF Rotterdam we started it last week, with a group of 13 women from 9 different countries. It went beyond expectations! Everyone participated well, despite the enormous differences in culture and level of education. Each lesson is divided into 6 or 7 parts and that makes the program lively. There is room for personal exchange in small safe groups. Even the shy and withdrawn types shared their story. The openness was remarkable. Back in the car with my Ugandan sister, I suggested that she might make new friends in the group. “Oh, but I’ve already made three,” she responded delightedly: the other three sisters in her small group. Another (shy) sister was almost overflowing with gratitude and joy, and wanted to say thank you for this course at the final prayer. We had never seen her like this before, she was radiant, and we were impressed as a team ourselves. God is at work through this program in this group!

Do you want to know more?
In a few weeks I will write again about how things are going. Want to know more about the Freedom Focus course? Check on geloofsinburgering.nl of write to Esther van Schie esther@geloofsinburgering.nl. You also can send me an whatsapp! Corina Mushikangondo-van der Laan 06-28812666 or churchworkers@icfrotterdam.nl

Pastoral and Relationship Training Intercultural couples Report ICF Utrecht

ALast January, a group of 15 intercultural couples started in ICF Utrecht. The meetings were interactive, educational, and fun. There was a lot of laughter about recognizing each other’s situation!

An intercultural relationship is different
Claude and Corina Mushikangondo and the Utrecht couples first thought together about why an intercultural relationship is different. Actual circumstances are often challenging, for example due to language and integration problems, residence permit stress, arrears in the labor market for the foreign partner, etc. This affects the interaction between partners; it can cause friction.

For example: usually the Dutch partner bears almost the entire burden of administrative and regulatory matters. Quarrels go off the rails more quickly if partners do not master the language equally well. The way partners invest in their marriage is also different. Integration requires major efforts for non-Dutch citizens. Dutch partners invest by supporting their spouse who sends money to relatives. Important to recognize that! It also became clear that there are major cultural differences in communication styles. Fortunately, most people knew their partner’s rules of communication.


Embrace Biblical culture
The group also discussed the top two topics intercultural couples argue about: gender ratio and money. Claude challenged the men to take on their role based on to let go of the Bible (Ephesians 5) and tradition and culture. It evoked many reactions and also beautiful testimonials.

Why this training?
The purpose of this group is to strengthen intercultural relationships, by stimulating mutual exchange and group loyalty and raising awareness of the challenges of intercultural marriage. The vision is for the couples to encourage and support each other. The leadership of the congregation is also involved, so that they can provide better marriage pastoral care when there are problems. Jasper de Kok, predecessor of ICF Utrecht, was there and Bert de Jong, elder and himself in an intercultural relationship. They thought it was very positive and were happy that this could take place.

Two participants about the workshops:
“We enjoyed the time together and had enough material to talk about afterwards. We hope there will be more sessions with other interesting topics. I personally also enjoyed the women’s and men’s group at the first assignment.”

“We also enjoyed the training very much. It were very helpful topics and what was especially remarkable that we had so much in common with the other intercultural couples. It was eye opening to see that I often thought some things in our marriage were just issues we only have, but it is often cultural! We hope there will be more sessions like this.”

More information about ICP’s Training offer

Ask for more information about the training courses of Claude and Corina