A World of Acronyms

You may have noticed that my last post contained a lot of acronyms. The truth is that I think from here on out acronyms will kind of be my status quo. Missionaries LOVE (that's not an acronym) acronyms. I don't know why, but it's the truth. Right now I'm here at PFO (Pre-Field Orientation)- I have to admit that after attending METE (see my last post) the term "field" rubs me slightly the wrong way- it was pointed out to me that it's a slightly militaristic term, so CWM (see last post) stopped using the term because we don't want to see missionaries as trying to take over or conquer other nations. Semantics I suppose. The people here at PFO really don't want that either and I suppose that's not a conversation for this blog.

PFO is run by ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International)- are you confused yet? There are lots of reasons for this training, but I think its primary goal is to help people learn how best to minister to TCKs (Third Culture Kids- the new 'normal' perhaps?). Everyone who is at this training is going to be working with TCKs in some direct way: teaching, boarding, or raising their own TCK children. It's pretty cool actually. It's cool to see so many people learning about this less and less rare breed of human who we call the TCK. Those of us who have grown up between cultures, absorbing multiple cultures during the formative years of our lives (google Dave Pollock and his research on TCKs for more info). It's therapeutic for me to hear more about the TCK experience, to shed tears, give thanks, and to laugh at the crazy things we do. There are more than sixty adults here for two weeks learning about who TCKs are and some unique ways they can be ministered to, and I'm excited to think about how much better prepared this generation will be to work with TCKs than the ones who came before. Don't get me wrong, I was one of the lucky ones whose parents and community 'got it' and helped me cope with the TCK experience well, but I'm hopeful that it means some mistakes of the past can be avoided and we can better prepare TCKs for their unique challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. Of course, we are after all still human so I'm sure we'll just make new mistakes, but I'm choosing to be optimistic at this point!

Here too we're learning more about our personalities and communication styles. I never really liked these sorts of things before, I was the typical TCK who didn't want to be put into a box I suppose. But now I'm starting to like them. In fact, I can't stop talking about them. I think these tests do several things for me: 1)they bring me self-awareness; 2)they help me to have more grace with myself; 3)they give me a vocabulary for talking about things in myself that I like and dislike; 4)they help me understand others better; and 5)they have the potential to help me make steps toward being the me God created me to be. So I'd say they're pretty cool all around. In case you were wondering, my MBTI is ISFJ- so basically I'm a people person who is very responsible and organized. That goes along pretty well with the 1 from my enneagram as well as my strengths that I found in the strengths finder a few years ago (which I think I should take again!). Oh and I'm an introvert- I bet you didn't know that! Okay, maybe some of you knew that, but since I'm pretty talkative once I get to know people and stand up for what I believe in people typically think I'm an extrovert. I'm not, I swear! :)

We're less than a week into PFO and already there are a million things to dig through and process. I think the best part of this time though is the new friendships that I'm making. I found that was true at METE as well, but this time it's more encouraging because I'm becoming friends with people who will actually be in Taiwan with me, some of whom will even be on the Taichung campus! So that's pretty exciting. Check out this picture of three of my new favorite little girls and me hanging out watching a soccer game:

I'm not gonna lie- I'm getting pretty excited to head to Taiwan (less than a month!!!!!!). I'm also getting more nervous about going to a completely new place, learning a new language, starting a new job, and making all new friends. But I love the friends I've made so far, I'm excited for a new adventure, I can't believe I get paid to do the job I've been called to, and by God's grace I WILL learn the language and fall in love with the culture and people in Taiwan. I'm being reminded to build my RAFT (Reconciliation, Affirmation, Farewells, Think Destination), which is something I did not do when I moved away from high school. Miss Crossley (ahem, Mrs. Anderson) will be thrilled to hear that I actually do remember her teaching us that back at RFIS, so if you see her, tell her thanks for me :) 

My biggest challenges at the moment? Saying goodbye well and starting to learn the language so I'm not completely overwhelmed when I get there. Say a little prayer for me! Oh, and come visit me in Taichung sometime after July! 

METE

METE- Missionary Equipping and Training Event.
ECC- Evangelical Covenant Church.
CWM- Covenant World Mission (NOT MissionS).
FOWM- Friends of World Mission.
RC- Regional Coordinator

"What the heck?" I know that's what you're thinking.

This is a snapshot of my last two weeks (I could share MANY other acronyms with you). Did I mention that the mission I'm partnering with to go to Taiwan and teach at Morrison Academy has TONS of acronyms? Lucky for me I grew up in the ECC and CWM and therefore seem to have known most of them BEFORE training started- bummer for all the people who didn't! We learned about a million other things as well and my brain is absolutely full to the brim. I can't even begin to describe the last two weeks, but I'm going to try anyways, so here it is:

New friends. But seriously. There's something about spending 8-12 hrs/day for two weeks that can really draw you together. At this training event there were 7 (kind of 8) other missionary candidates, a 10-month old baby (who was pretty much the only thing that kept us all from going insane during those long days), myself, and dozens of people training us. We are all headed to Asia or South America and we're all passionate about very different things and have very different life stories. Have I ever mentioned that I love diversity and believe that only in that diversity can we experience the fullness of God's love and very nature? Diversity comes in many different forms, race is just one representation of it but...

We spent a lot of time learning about racial righteousness and doing missions well and intercultural communication. How about this idea from Soong-Chan Rah: We need to stop helping people out or up but instead help them across. Chew on that for a minute and see what you think. Are we doing ministry well with those who are different from ourselves? This is just one nugget of truth that has stuck with me from the past two weeks about intercultural interactions. Loved it.

Another thing I loved, getting to spend time catching up with old friends and debriefing everything I was learning or discussing during the day with them at night. Oh, and playing with the year-old baby of the Einfeldts, who are like family to me. Oh and catching up with other friends and going to a Sox game and watching a Blackhawks game and laughing. I love to laugh. I love being with people who make me laugh at myself. I want to laugh more often. Have I lost you yet?

Hmm let's see, what else can I confuse you with. The Enneagram! I'm a 1 with a 2 wing and when I'm stressed I go to a 4 and when I'm relaxed I go to a 7. So if you want to psychoanalyze me you can look up what the Enneagram is and see how to get along better with my strange self. But seriously, this is the best personality test I've ever taken. I highly recommend it. WEPSS.COM It's $10, pretty accurate, very interesting, and may just help you be a better person and work well with others. If you have to hang out with me very often, please take it, because I now refer to my "oneness" all the time.

If I had to sum up what I learned in the past two weeks I would use one word: intentionality. I was reminded by many of the people I interacted with just how important it is to live intentionally. I have been challenged to start living my own life more intentionally. I'm not sure exactly what that means in a practical sense, but I've begun the journey of figuring that out.

So here's to being intentional. In relationship with others, in relationship with God, in the foods I eat, in the activities I engage in, in my impending move to Taiwan.

I learned so much in the last two weeks, now I have a week and a half off before I head to upstate New York for PFO (more acronyms!!!) for another two weeks of Pre-Field Orientation. In the meantime I'm going to be intentional about packing before I send my shipment off to Taiwan next Thursday! Wish me luck, and congratulations to you if you understood anything in this post.