Theme of the week…TEAMWORK!

     Hey hey! I wanted to let you in on a little of what I’ve been learning about this week. Session after session, we have been learning about the importance of teams. Common phrases “sit with your team,” “discuss this with your teammates,” “how would you and your teammates resolve this situation,” have been repeated during this past week of training. I began to wonder why. I mean I know we are going to be roommates (for the record, teammate=roommate), but I’ve had other roommates and even when it was difficult (and trust me I had some very difficult roommate situations) it always worked out and was peaceable. Being a studious little one, definitely the teacher in me, I decided to figure out if there was a biblical reason why.
     Low and behold, there is! Shocker! Throughout the New Testament, especially in Acts, the disciples and many of the early missionaries go to spread the word in pairs or groups. Paul works with several different men (Barnabas, Timothy, etc), Peter first sets out with John, and many others go in pairs. As teachers living out our Christian faith in nations that are known for their atheistic beliefs, it is important to remember the values that come from having fellowship with other believers.

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 18:19-20             

                      

     Each session or class that we (the teachers here at Teach Overseas Training) have been taught about a different facet of living together overseas in our city. For some, it means they will be the only foreigners. For others, they will be the only known Christians. My team and I learned that we have a high reputation to live up to. Teach Overseas or ESI has a long standing history in our city and school. Our school is excited to be getting more teachers, but we have also been told that this may make it more difficult to befriend colleagues or students since they know that we will probably only be there for a year or two.
     I have learned that while teams are important for the obvious reasons. While we are gone, we truly are the only human contacts that each other has to lean on. We provide fellowship, family, friendship, and familiarity. We are even one another’s co-workers. We do everything together. It is so much more than just a roommate situation. Our apartments or “flats” are our ministries. And our students, neighbors, colleagues, and national friends will know who we are by our love…or lack thereof.
    

I wanted to introduce the team...Ashley--the cutie from Indiana is the tiny one in the middle. Shelly--the one with the great smile is on the right and is proud to be from Texas.

    I ask that over the next few weeks you would pray for me and my team as we get to know each other. I will be praying for you and your “team” at home as well. Make sure and email me any special prayer requests. I would love to stay updated on everything going on!

Southern California is Super Cool...(At Least Figuratively w/o AC! :-)

So I made it!! Yay! Luggage and all (aka me) made it safely to Pasadena, California. I had a few delays. My first flight left on time. However, when it landed in Phoenix, the gate was not ready for our plane and we had to wait for almost a half an hour. This was a problem because I only had a half hour lay over to start with. By the time I got off the plane and made it to my next flight it was already boarding. Needless to say, I made it in the nick of time. The next flight was delayed about an hour due to plane malfunctions. But they got them fixed and we made it. I was able to catch the shuttle late which was actually a blessing in disguise, because I met 4 other Teachoverseas members on the same shuttle! Happy Moment!

The schedule since I have arrived is jam packed! We have lots to do! In some ways, I have realized that it is a lot like camp. We have a lot of bonding to do, but at the same time we also have a ton of learning. We are going to be studying about our specific regions and also learning how to teach English as a Second Language. The past two days have been crammed with meeting lots of people that are going to many different countries and with meeting my own teammates.

My roommates while I am staying here are Annie and Gwen. Annie is going to Hungary and Gwen is going to North Africa. We are roughing it by staying in an AC free room. And according to the locals, LA is having a heat wave this weekend. (I totally believe them! It is hot!)

My teammates are great and have a lot of the same questions that I do. So we are going to be learning lots together over the next few weeks. Ashley, Shelly, Erica, and Jess are the four other girls going to Ostrava with me. We have had a blast getting to know each other so far. We have decided it is going to be a fun city to be in for the fact that we will be together!

Today, we had a pool party to cool off and spend some down time bonding a little. Tomorrow, I hear they bring out the heavy artillery. I'm going to call home before it is super late for you guys and then get to bed early myself. Hope you are all doing well!

Less than a Week!

Less than a week…it is looming. Hanging above me like a big cloud, but not a scary storm cloud. More like the big happy sun hanging in the sky. It is pretty and beautiful, but almost too bright, you know? Exciting, but the whole gist of it is a little intimidating. Like perky people in the morning, you know? ;-) I’m not nervous or afraid, but really trying to get prepared and not sure how.

I think that is the most daunting part of it all. How do you pack for an entire year? I mean for anyone that has ever checked out my wardrobe, you totally know that it is not going to fit in two 15x18x48in suitcases…even if they are vacuum packed. So then the downsizing begins, right? Where do you start with that? What is a necessity? What is just sheer luxury? And really how do you cut out all of the shoes?! MY SHOES! (Mind you, this is just the clothes problem) So then you move on to the other items they tell you to take. Bible (missionary—obivious), games (don’t have to tell me twice, I am the child of a card shark!), medicine (the ridiculously expensive prescription meds I got? Oh, yeah, those), pictures of home, essential documents, 3-ring binder full of training materials, training book…oh my BOOKS!

If you have ever met me, you know that at any given time I have at least one fiction with me, one non-fiction book being read somewhere at home, and probably another spare “just in case.” Books are heavy! What to do? Well, thank heavens for wonderful family! Mine decided to bless me with the gift a Kindle. It is fantastic! I have downloaded so many free books (because most of the classics are free) that is insane! I am going to get to take an entire library with me in only a small little electronic device.

So the next week will be a whirlwind of suitcases, clothes, lists, and vacuum bags. :-) Hopefully, I can cram everything needed into the limited space within the weight limit. If not, I guess I’ll have to buy what I can’t fit when I get there. It’s not as though they won’t have stores.

The past few weeks have been wonderful and bittersweet. Kate and Jenna, my two forever friends, planned a fun and relaxing day at the river for us. Then, they had a great surprise party with our friends from high school. We had a blast! Silent Marco Polo, anyone? I also had to say goodbye to some of my grandparents and aunts and uncles. We had dinner which was very nice and relaxing. Also, some fantastic food was had! I also got to see my best friend from college, Sara, and her husband, Justin. My Sunday School class also did some very sweet things for me. I am very glad to know that I have their love and support while I am gone.

I have realized though that while these past few have been great, the reason I am actually getting to see everyone at once like this is because I am leaving in a week for an entire year! It is just now starting to sink in some. I know that I’m leaving, but in some ways I don’t think it will be truly sunk in until I have been gone for a while and I can’t just jump on the plane and be home in a few minutes. That’s the weird part.

But for now, I’m excited, ready to go, and just praying that God would lead me every step of the way. I know that it is going to be a long road and it is not going to be easy at times. It might not even be easy any of the time, but He will guide me if I am willing to follow.

So I ask that those of you that are reading this would partner with me in making that my prayer for the next year. Pray the Lord will guide my steps and that I will have a heart that is open to listen. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1