Pre-field Training at CIT

We have learned a lot in three full weeks at the Center for Intercultural Training (CIT)! It takes a lot of time to process everything, but I've been reviewing my top take-aways from the lessons. 

(Note: you'll notice that some friends' identities have been obscured for confidentiality reasons.)

1. Mindstyles: The Mindstyles website can explain better, but there are 4 different combinations of thinking patterns. I am Concrete Random. That means I am a risk-taker, competitor, independent problem-solver... and have a lot of fun :) It was interesting to learn about the differences between the styles and how to best work with people who are operating under each pattern.

2.  Contextualization: we learned that adopting the local customs/traditions of the culture helps us to speak to the hearts of the people. We should trust the Holy Spirit as He speaks through local believers, regarding which customs to keep and which to jettison. One of my favorite things about traveling is learning how and why people do the things they do, and I desire to see God's presence in each culture! One of the things I appreciated about the Pakistani women that we met at the Islamic Center of Asheville was their hospitality; they insisted that we share the delicious chicken-and-rice lunch they had prepared! 

My classmates and I with way too much food! :)

3. Confrontation: conflict is an opportunity to let God be glorified.

In case you don't believe me, the Chinese word for "conflict", seen above, includes the character for "opportunity"!

We have had some fun in our downtime, too... during our first weekend, several of us visited a church called Father's Vineyard, and were welcomed up front by the lead pastor (Pastor Terry). He invited the elders of the church to pray over us and the countries to which we are going--the 3 of us actually represented 3 different continents! The next weekend I made an excursion  into the nearby town of Black Mountain, which reminded me of downtown Geneva, IL, with tons of craftsy and antique stores and boutiques. It was gorgeous weather! Lots of people were out with families and dogs, which helped my puppy withdrawal :) Then it was Easter, and we held an egg hunt for the kiddos around the back lawn/playground. I kept my streak going... 31 years of participating in egg hunts! :)

This week we had a ladies' night (which was an act of faith, leaving all 11 kids with their dads...lol), so we went into the nearby town of Rutherfordton for Thai food and a CVS run. Yeah, I know, wild!!

Prayer Requests & Praises:
* I received my visa for Niger! Woohoo!
* A spot opened up for me to take the Trauma Healing workshop at the end of April, woohoo! Please pray that I can book tickets and reserve lodging ASAP.
* Stormy is having a rough time at home and I still have 1 more week at CIT... Pray for him & my parents to persevere without me...
* In addition to learning more about cross-cultural ministry and team dynamics, part of CIT is self-study. Please pray for my spiritual and emotional growth.
* I'm thankful for additional supporters that have joined my team in the past month!! I only need about $190/month (or another $7000) to be fully supported!!

Cardboard Carpentry & Church Commissioning!

From Feb. 26-28th I had the privilege to attend a class in NYC by Adaptive Design Association, Inc., which taught me the basics of working with cardboard and how to design and produce my own adaptive equipment. It was fabulous! Deb and I had lots of fun learning the tools of the trade and building our own projects, including a scaled-down model of an infant chair that we hope to reproduce in Niger. It will be a huge asset to be able to make things from our own hands in our resource-poor context.

Using power tools!

Our scaled-down model of a toddler seat

My project from conception to (almost) finish

Mom's new lap desk, in final stage- - she picked out the patterned paper to cover it (decoupage style) 

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Last Sunday, March 11th, I was commissioned by my home church, Tri-Village Church in Streamwood, IL (a campus of Wheaton Bible Church). TVC is only about 18 months old and I'm the first missionary to be sent overseas from this congregation. It was awesome to have Pastor Wil and everyone in attendance pray over me to send me out!

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This weekend I'm at the medical missionary training by the Christian Medical and Dental Association, in Abingdon, VA, and on Sunday I move on to the Center for Intercultural Training in Union Mills, NC. I won't be home again until April 14th. Please keep me in your prayers and come back for updates! 

"So how do you become a missionary?"

This is written mostly with medical workers in mind, because that is what I am, and because I struggled over many months to compile resources that apply to medical missions, and I'm hoping to pave the way for future workers! This is everything in my own experience that has been formational over the last several years in shaping my now-career as a missionary.

"So how do you become a missionary?"

1. Pray! Talk to the Lord about whether or not He wants you to serve in this capacity.

2. Talk to people in your church (leaders, others who have served overseas) about any opportunities, either to go somewhere short-term or to volunteer cross-culturally right in your own community.

3. Pray about each opportunity! When you pray, if you don't hear a clear "NO," then move forward with the next step (send the application, contact the agency, etc). Keep moving forward until God says, "STOP." **Feeling uncomfortable due to the anticipation of being pushed outside your comfort zone is NOT the same as God saying "STOP." Fear does not come from God, it comes from the enemy! (2 Timothy 1:7) If you are dithering and making excuses about not following through on the thing that scares you,  it's probably because it's going to be AWESOME and it's going to bring GLORY TO GOD, and Satan wants nothing more than to prevent you from doing that thing!!** Keep praying about it, and take it one step at a time! (P.S. I've found that God rarely says, "Stop completely"; it's more often, "wait" or, "let's take this detour!")

4. Get a mentor. Ask around your church for mentorship opportunities (ideally someone who has served overseas in the same capacity or the same area of the world) or use the website by Medical Missions to find an experienced worker, a mature Christian of the same gender. They should be willing to meet up to once a week, but at least once a month, to offer guidance and support.

5. Critically assess your finances. My greatest resource was Dave Ramsey's book, "The Total Money Makeover." Many churches offer his Financial Peace University seminars (for a fee) and you can check out Ramsey's website for advice and resources. Whether you're going to go on short-term trips or are considering long- term service, you need to assess your financial stewardship and pay off as many outstanding debts as possible Between my car loan, student loans, credit cards, medical/vet bills...when I added all of those together, I owed hundreds of thousands of dollars at one point. Imagine my dismay when ilearned that most mission agencies require you to repay your debts before you can depart overseas! But by sticking to a budget, taking baby steps, and working multiple jobs, I reduced my total debt to under $37,000, which is my student loan balance.

6. Speaking of student loans... MedSend is a non-profit organization that offers grants to medical missionaries in order to continue repaying their student loans while they are serving overseas. Once you are accepted with a mission agency, check out their website for the next application deadline (usually 4x/year).

7. Learn about missions. When I thought that maybe God was calling me to go overseas long-term, my two biggest influences, the things that confirmed I was on the right path, were the Global Missions Health Conference (held annually in Louisville, KY), and the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course (13 weeks long, ongoing basis).

8. Read about missions. Look for books on cross-cultural ministry, evangelism,  missiology, biographies of missionaries, books written by believers in your region of interest, etc. You can start with my recommendations, which are posted on Goodreads under the heading "Missions Resources," but your church, mission agency, and mentor probably have great ideas, too. If you prefer learning by listening, or if you spend a lot of time in your car, try audiobooks; check out christianaudio.com, audible.com, or ask your local library if they participate in hoopla emedia.

9. Study theology. You can't tell others what you believe if you don't know what you believe! My favorite authors are Liz Curtis Higgs, C.S. Lewis, Dietrich Boenhoffer, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Priscilla Shirer, Brennan Manning, Lee Strobel, and Beth Moore. Read their books. Listen to good sermons online (in addition to attending church). Be a student of the Word. Enroll in the FREE Dimensions of the Faith program, a series of courses from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Make use of their study guides and stay on track with their quizzes.

10. GO!!! You'll never know until you try... so the best thing to do is to get experience in a new culture on a short-term trip, either with your church or one of hundreds of organizations that need medical workers. Go with open heart, open mind, and open hands, ready to serve and ready to learn. When you come back, debrief with your mentor or other cross-cultural workers.

11. Keep praying! 

Recovery Update

If you didn't hear, I injured my right knee on December 28th (subluxed patella, or dislocated kneecap). This is the 3rd time it has happened on the right knee (twice on the left). The doctor said that if it keeps happening, maybe we should consider surgery. Not the words a 31-year-old wants to hear. I've been resting it since then, to control pain and swelling, and wearing a brace as recommended by the doctor. I started physical therapy (PT) today. I found out that my anatomy is a little goofy, with both kneecaps tilted to the side instead of lying flat, and a tendency to hyperextend both legs, which is probably why I have a proclivity for this type of injury. I will continue PT for at least 4 weeks, 2x/week, in an attempt to compensate by strengthening different muscle groups in the core and legs, and to return to normal functioning. Please pray that surgery is not necessary. My next doctor appointment is January 29. If all goes well with recovery, I should be able to be on the field in Niger by May 1st.

Praise Report:
Thank you for praying with me about the need to reschedule my cross-cultural training in North Carolina. I notified the training center right away after my injury and they changed my registration to their spring session, March 18. Then I called American Airlines and a very nice customer service agent pulled all the strings to change my basic economy flights from January to March--what a blessing to not lose all that money! I am also looking on the bright side and enjoying additional "down time" to focus on theology classes, French language learning, support raising, and spending time with family. I've already talked to 2 friends who are prayerfully considering joining my support team! God will work it all out in His timing, for His glory!

New Year's reflections

As a new year approaches, I love to reflect on the changes that have taken place in the past 365 days--both internally and externally. I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but sometimes I make goals or just write down my expectations for the new year, and then release them all to my Loving Father.

2017 was certainly a time of momentous changes for me. Here is a summary of the hills and valleys I've seen this year:

January:

• Resigned from Genesis Healthcare 
• Traveled to Kenya with group from Wheaton Bible Church  (WBC) 

February:

• Traveled alone to Niger to work at Galmi Hospital 

March:

• Returned to USA 
• Started job with Supplemental Healthcare/ Northwestern Medicine 
• Began long-term assignment process as a missionary with SIMUSA 

April:

• Stormy was very sick; multiple trips to vet 
• Roommate moved out 

May:

• Finished my first 5K!

• Started gluten free/ dairy free diet for my health 
• Attended a family wedding and a friend's baptism 

June:

• Last day with Supplemental Healthcare 
• Attended my brother Tyler's Master's Ceremony in Philly 
• Attended my cousin's improv show in Chicago 
• Celebrated my 31st birthday 

July:

• Attended one week orientation at SIMUSA headquarters in Charlotte 
• Started job with Residential Home Health
• Visited winery in Iowa with a friend 

August:

• Started job with Brookdale Senior Living 
• Saw the best musical ever, HAMILTON, in Chicago with all of my best friends 

• Sold my condo in Warrenville
• Celebrated my friend's graduation from CNA school 
• Took family vacation to Philly and the Jersey Shore 

September:

• Line dancing fundraiser for my trip 
• Celebrated the one year anniversary of my church, Tri-Village Church (TVC), a sister campus of WBC 
• Moved in with my parents and put my things in storage
• Visited NYC with Tyler (first time) to watch our cousin's play

October:

• Attended one-week training at SIMUSA headquarters in Charlotte 
• During weeklong Missionsfest celebration, was presented at church as the first missionary to be sent overseas from TVC
• Attended my cousin's baptism
• Chick-fil-A fundraiser in Wheaton for my trip

November:

• Began Second Language Acquisition course through Wheaton College 
• Attended annual Friends for Therapeutic Equine Activities benefit dinner with my dad
• Attended PAX Unplugged convention of board games with my brother in Philly

• Celebrated Friendsgiving with high school friends (class of 2004!)

December: 

• Saw Star Wars: The Last Jedi on opening weekend in Minnesota with my friends from college
• Last day with Residential Home Health 
• Celebrated a white Christmas in Chicago with friends and family! 
• Dislocated my right knee for the third time (today...breaking news...)

Please pray with me that these trials and triumphs will work together for God's glory!

Into the darkest season, comes The Light

It's been called "the most wonderful time of the year." And while it is certainly special, this December for me has been especially difficult emotionally. I get very involved in my patients' lives, especially as I treat some of them for several months, and almost all of them have had setbacks this month: whether from illness, rehospitalization, a devastating prognosis, or just general idiopathic decline. One even passed away suddenly. And friends and neighbors are dealing with their own health struggles, loss of beloved pets, and family upheaval. It just seems like no one is very merry nor bright!

Surrounded as I seem to be by grief and sadness, I could be tempted to despair. However, as I am reminded by my favorite movie series (above) and book series (below), darkness allows you to see the light that much more clearly:

My happiness in this season has been found in everyday moments with my family, in a road trip to Minnesota with my college friends, in serving at church, in snuggling with my dog, in playing board games and going to the movies, and in buying Christmas gifts. But these things will pass away. My hope and my joy are found in The Light of the World:

One of my greatest blessings in this season is sharing with my current patients and coworkers that I am moving overseas. Although this means that I must say goodbye to them soon, they have been very encouraging about my new endeavor, and this news has opened up many spiritual conversations as they question my reasons for leaving my family and comfortable suburban life. One patient with chronic pain asked me several theological questions this week, but what she really wanted to know was, "Why is God so mad at me?" I reassured her that her chronic health problems are not a judgement for something she has or hasn't done, pointing her to passages about Paul in the New Testament and Job in the Old. She invited me to come back just to visit after I'm done working with Residential. We will pray together for her upcoming surgery (in late January) to be successful.

Let us be light and love to each other! Have a Merry Christmas! 

We are not done

I got my 2nd tattoo today. It has significant layers of meaning for me. Here's what it looks like:

I substituted the Arabic letter "ن" (pronounced noon) in the word "not" in order to show solidarity with my Middle Eastern brothers and sisters.
The motto "We are not done" comes from my Pastor, Wil Franco, at Tri-Village Church in Streamwood, who gave an impassioned (I mean, more than usual) sermon on this topic several months ago.
Here is what this means to me, in the context of the Gospel which I believe in:
1. I have been saved by Jesus, but I am not done; I am in a process of sanctification until I meet Him face to face (Hebrews 10:10, 14).
2. No one else is perfect, either, so I should extend forgiveness as He has forgiven me (Colossians 3:13).
3. We are commanded to go out and proclaim the Good News, and this won't be done until all have had a chance to hear and believe (Matthew 28:18-20, Revelation 7:9-10). Everyday, I have a part to play in that, no matter where I'm living at the time.
4. Including the Arabic letter reminds me that many people will try to kill us or imprison us, in order to stop the Truth, but ultimately, God will prevail over the enemy of darkness (Revelation 12:10-12, 7:16-17). What an encouraging hope to have!

I got the tattoo so that these important reminders will be always before me, everywhere I go!

**Edit: I should give credit where it's due: my brother in Christ, the wonderful Chris Baker, who runs Ink180 Ministry in Oswego, which helps former gang members and survivors of sex trafficking by covering their scars or tattoos without charge. I brought my idea to him and he made it into art! Thanks, Chris!**