February 2020

This update marks the end of my training with Mission Training International where I've spent the last 4 weeks. It's been such a huge blessing to spend so much time with 30 like-minded people who are going through the same mental, spiritual and physical preparation that I am. 

 

We spent the first half of training focusing on phonetics and language learning. This opened my eyes and ears to ideas and sounds in other languages and helped me start to think through the best methods of language learning for my future students. I even got to learn a little bit of Mandarin to practice language learning activities! In the third week, we began focusing on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual impact of being a long-term missionary. Among many others, we explored themes of conflict, transition, stress, sabbath, grief, and good goodbyes. 

 

The whole month was a beautiful living picture of the body of Christ and what true community was meant to be. We got to explore what it looks like to love and serve one another well in all stages of life, both here as well as on the field. The very first week we were invited to "speak in paradox" with one another, which is where my heading "Living In Paradox" comes from. I felt the freedom to say things like, "I'm sad to be leaving my people, but I'm confident and excited for where God has called me to be," and feel fully seen and understood in that. What a beautiful gift!

Overall, I feel refreshed after this month. The Lord renewed my hunger for His word and my longing to be more like Jesus. He freed me from past hurts and is teaching me how to surrender control to him. I'm learning that although I have a lot of changing descriptors and characteristics, my identity is a deeply loved child of God.