Day 5

Today was different than the other days - we traveled to a camp just outside Taylor’s Falls to Ox Lake do some team-building exercises. While we were there, we got our team pictures taken for the team posters – after we had gotten all sweaty and gross! We had been forewarned, so we had clean nice clothes to wear, so they should turn out well. We just hope they aren't scratch and sniff!

We got to do a high ropes course!

This was our reaction to the news.

I got up there and did one of the harder ones called the Great White X –so much fun! This is what it looks like, but is not me on it.

I hope to post some of the pictures that Katie and Elliott took! (here they are!) There was not much time, so I only got to do one, but this might be a place we come back to during our summer at Camp Wappogasset.

We Got to go on our first team outing today!

We are commanded to go have fun because The Team That Plays Together, Stays Together! Or so the YE staff says. We were given $7 per person for food and $10 per person for whatever activity you could choose to do. We chose to get Chipotle to go and eat it on the grounds of Como Park.

We then walked all the way around the lake – simple, free, and fun! We can now use the $10 per person from this month and the $10 from next month to do something a little bigger next month.

I won’t be able to post for a while :-( . We are headed up to Luther Dell, the Camp we will stay at until the Sending Service on the 18th. There is no internet and very little cell service. I will have 2 days off to go into town, Wednesday the 2nd and Monday the 14th, and I will update you then. It seems so long! So far away! I really enjoy writing these and will continue to daily so you will have a lot to read come the 2nd!

I miss you all terribly, but I am learning so much and I seem to have found the place I need to be.

Be Blessed!
Love,
Erin

Day 4

Day 4

This morning we learned about sing-alongs – tips and tricks to successfully teaching new songs and getting kids to participate. I missed Sunday School Opening so very much!

We took a spirituality test today, to see how we best connect with God. The four types we were sorted into were Sage, Prophet, Mystic, and Lover. I am a mystic. I encourage you to find the tests online. I will pass them in if I find them. They really do give you some insight into who you are, and they are very empowering, to know that the way you are is normal and known.

Today we went back to the travel clinic to get our TB tests read. All good! We can all travel outside the country! (except for me, since I do not have my vaccines because of health insurance issues… grrrrr)

On the way to the clinic there is a church that has witty messages on their sign. The times we drove past it has said:
Our Favre who art in purple, healthy be thine arm.
And
The Cross: God’s love on a stick! Enjoy the state fair!


This afternoon, we had Game training – how to and not to lead big groups of kids in playing games. Some points were: no exclusion games, define and enforce boundaries, give an object (how you win) and an end (how you tell who won), among other things.

After games, we had more theology, this time about why does God let evil happen and how to talk to someone who is going through a tragedy or crisis of faith. Interesting, somewhat helpful, but at almost 2 hours of teaching, we still were having troubles. Theology is not my strong point.

We have so many names for our sessions, so I’ll try and explain the difference: a session is a teaching time. A Workshop is a lesson about a specific topic that we are taught now so we can teach others. Meet By Teams is a discussion time with your team arranged around pre-specified topic. Team Check-Ups are a time to just update your team on how you are doing, if you are struggling or excited or tense, etc… Devotions are, well, devotions with your team. Dunamao is scheduled quiet time alone with God. Sectionals are when the lead vocalists will all go off together, and all the guitarists together and the drummers together, etc… to rehearse. We will have Rehearsals with our teams as well. We will have Prayer Partner time (another teamer from a different team), Job Training for our team jobs(treasurer, vehicle manager, media contact, program manager, etc… ), 1 on 1s which is time alone with one of your teammates, Community Time which is the same as free time, and Last Word, where the whole community gets together to sing and devote, usually the last thing we do in our day.

Day 3

Today we had our first team check up, which are pretty much how they sound, checking how your team is doing. We had more theology, which is confusing, but all the former teamers say is helpful once you start actually talking with people who have the worldviews we learn about. Then we had a time of feedback about the application process.

For as much info as they are throwing at us, it seems to have a pretty good mix and schedule, hard then easy, entertaining then boring, business then ministry.

This afternoon was Tiger again – Rev. Dr. Tiger to be exact. Today he talked about
The Main Thing vs. The Vague Thing
We give people vague statements like shine your light in the darkness, God loves you, Jesus saves… but those things do nothing, make no difference, have no impact when people have real troubles in their lives.

Most people want a god so they can go to heaven, but do not want interference in their lives (hence the small g god). But God is a Big G God who, when invited into your life, will turn it upside down, inside out and backwards ( love your enemy, last shall be first, socialize with the undesirables, His chosen are not the most qualified or educated, ie. The Great Reversal). You need to communicate that Clear-ly.
C clear communication
L loving in actions
E example (both live it out and have specifics and concrete evidence)
A always be growing
R risk takers

After dinner, our team had our first behind the wheel – I am not a driver this year but all of us went to learn how to be good navigators and supportive passengers. Then we came back for Meet By Team. Today’s topic was our call to team and what and how we learned about team (and for us, about our parents reactions to the Africa news!).

This year, my goal is to read through the Bible. I have a Bible that already has it broken down into sections with devotional material, and I have been really consistent this past month and a half. Today I was reading in Haggai 2 about the people’s frustration with rebuilding God’s temple, and God’s frustration with the people! I really like the way the Message says it -

"'Yes, get to work! For I am with you.' The God-of-the-Angel-Armies is speaking! 'Put into action the word I covenanted with you when you left Egypt. I'm living and breathing among you right now. Don't be timid. Don't hold back.'

I feel like I am in the covenant-ing stage, that I have received the word, and soon I will be called to be bold to share it. This is the time God is working in me to make the full commitment, to really know what is being asked of me. Right now I am ok with it, it will be hard work, and I like this part of the journey. The next stage seems a little daunting. But He promises He is with us and because of Him, we can go and do the amazing work He has prepared for us.

Day 2 - Some other good stuff

It is very strange for me to be away from home and not able to go back when I am not that far away from home.

When I checked my email and read that my application for medical insurance had been denied I was so frustrated, so much so I had to just walk away. I didn’t know what to do about it, or how it could be remedied, plus it was after 11 at night, so I wasn’t able to do anything if I had wanted or knew what to do. I went to take my shower and on the way, God, being the comforter He is, reminded me that He will provide. And then, as I was banging my stuff around getting ready, having trouble with the whole He-Provides-But-I Have-To-Do-My-Part, But-What-Is-My-Part? stuff, Melissa (a former teamer working at training) asked me what was wrong. In answering her questions, she got me thinking differently about the situation and I perhaps have a way to fix it. God provided someone sympathetic and interested and experienced to talk to so that I could gain clarity – Isn’t He good?!!!

We all took a Myers Briggs test to find our personality type. This is to help us to know how we may work and fit together on our teams. I am decidedly an INFP. All of my scores were 1-19 or 2-18, no wishy washy results here. It was really strange for me to read the profile and feel like it described me almost perfectly! There was also a handout that has a prayer for each type and it said:
Lord, please help me finish what I sta

Day Two

Oh my. I cannot even remember this morning! Good thing we have a written schedule so I can tell you about my day after the fact.

We travel to the training church for breakfast at 8:15. We have 4-5 sessions before lunch, 2-3 longer sessions in the afternoon, and 1-2 sessions after dinner. Then Last Word (evening devotions with music) about 9:15ish.

The schedule is housed in a 2.5 inch 3 ring binder along with handouts for 8 different categories of information:
Schedule (dates, times, places, room assignments, birthdays, etc…)
Youth Encounter (history, theology, mission and vision statement)
Teams (team jobs, responsibilities, and business)
Devotions (examples, resources, how to write your own)
Meet By Teams (see yesterday)
Programs (what we will do when it is our turn to be on stage)
Workshops (the curriculum we will use to train others while on team)
Relational (tips and tricks to make connections and build relationships)
Theology
Events/Culture (culture studies for each region visited and corresponding events)

And we have gotten an average of 2 more handouts at each session!

The analogy has been used of trying to drink from a fire hydrant, so much coming at you at once and trying to take it all in.

Today we had a Foundations of Youth Ministry session with a youth pastor whose name is Tiger. He graduated from High School in ’74. He had some incredible insights… how our (anyone in ministry) job as leaders is to get peoples attention.

Everyone is tempted to get stuck there in the limelight. But our music or humor or other skill is not the end. We then have to DUCK . Point to the cross and duck out of the way.

I really wish everyone could experience the passion of the workers and speakers and the depth of information we are getting. It is so filling, so nourishing. Even the theology is intriguing and has great discussions. It is so different to be with a group of people who are so invested in the learning process.

Last Word was really good – for a musical group we do very little of it this week – we got to sing and we were challenged to have time with God, that sometimes we can get caught up in trying to sound good or be loud enough or to try out a harmony. In those things we can get distracted from actual worship. What a convicting message for me. So I just focused on Him and sought Him for who He is, and it was awesome. I really think that God honors a contrite heart and a seeking spirit.

I pray that each of you find times to seek God out. He is there with you now, but sometimes you need to be intentionally looking to see Him.

Prayer List

Ludvigs's visa expires in may so he may not be able to return to the US after Africa

My health insurance was denied because i had not seen a Dr. - I will resubmit my application with info on my visit last thursday!

Behind the wheel is tomorrow!

Blessings!

erin<3

Day One

Hi!

It is the end of day one of training and I am both excited and weary...

We are staying at a host church off site of the training church, UPSTAIRS, which means that we had to lug ALL of our luggage up.

We arrived at church for breakfast and as soon as that was done, my team, Cross Fire (2 words!), was whisked off to the Stillwater Travelers Clinic to get our shots (it sounds like we are puppies!). I need 7 - one of which I got today, the rest of which I need when my insurance goes thru. We learned all about the risks of the disease and the risk of the vaccine and not to go in any freshwater and to cook our food properly and...

We had training sessions this afternoon about who Youth Encounter is and how to answer questions (or who to contact to find out!), and about faith and how some people value or promote head faith (study, knowlege, history) and some heart faith ( experiential, feelings based) and how neither is wrong, but you need a balance.

We also had our very first Meet By Team. I am not so sure about the name, but the object is teambuilding and communication skills. My teammates are
Kaitie
age 25ish (guitar, supporting vocals) child psych and youth work major
Elliott
age 25ish (guitar) communications/journalism major, wants to get into sports broadccasting
Dave
age 25ish (supporting vocals) interned with the Timberwolves for 4 years, wants to be a firefighter or highschool teacher
Ludvigs
age 32 (djembe, supporting guitar, bass) electrical engineering degree

Tonight for dinner we had chili. With green chilis. I had a lot of sour cream, but toughed it out - practice for Africa you know.
After dinner, we had van driver's ed. Corny video and all. Our test is tomorrow.

Over all, I feel like I am where I need to be, that God has led me to this group, and that He has some Good stuff in store. He sought me out and wooed me to the place where I would even consider something like going on team. And now that I am here, I need to continually seek Him to be able to do what is asked of me.

Prayer list:
connections with teammates
no bad reactions to vaccines (or reasons to try out their effectiveness!)
my medical insurance to go through so I can get my shots
Milder Food!
Marcela from Columbia whose visa was denied

I miss you lots and love you more!

erin<3