Back to School

I pull into the staff parking lot as I have so many times before, but this day always carries a special excitement. This is Student Orientation Day at Namibian Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS) when we meet all the new students for the first time, and see our returning students after the 2-month holiday. This year we have 11 new students entering the diploma year, and 4 doing a bridging-year certificate. They are an energetic and engaging group, eager to learn and with lots of questions. Also new this year are two former graduates who will serve as Faculty-in-Training.

Orientation started with introductions and a morning devotion. We had a wonderful reminder from 1 Corinthians 3, that we are humble servants, but we are also God's fellow workers! Then orientation always has to include some info sessions, get-to-know-you games, a campus tour, and of course, community lunch.

Trying to construct our mission statement out of pictures

"Preparing followers of Christ with the knowledge, skills, and character
to serve God, each other, and the world."

Team-building games

The classic Human Knot

For lunch we were split up into groups of four with a picnic bag lunch.
We popped the balloon to find some get-to-know-you questions inside.

Where is "Home"?

Growing up, I lived in the same house on the same street in the same town for over 20 years. Then it was easy to know where home was. Even when I went away to college, going home had meaning. It meant returning to the familiar, to memory, to family, to mom-cooked meals.

But living as a global worker has begun to redefine what "home" means for me. Is it the culture you were born into? Or the culture you have now adapted to? Is it where your family lives? Or the place where you keep all your stuff?

The answer is yes. It's all those things. There is familiarity in a New England Fall and winter Christmas. I know what to expect from the culture I grew up in. There is welcome and belonging among long-standing friends and family. In many ways, I can just "be myself."

But after living abroad for 5 years, in many other ways, I have adapted to live in the cultural there. I have built new memories and traditions on that side. I have made new friends and community. And there is the apartment where I keep all my stuff.

The dictionary defines 'home' as "the place in which one's domestic affections are centered." While it may not be perfect, one thing this definition gets right is that home is about the affections. It's less about a location, and more about the sense of familiarity and fondness, safety and belonging. So next month, when I return back to Namibia from my 6-month Home Assignment, yes I will be leaving home, but for me, I will also be going home.

The Messy Family who are Youth Workers

I come from a big family. When I go to a family reunion we have well over 100 people, many of whom I don't even know and wouldn't recognize if we were sitting right next to each other. But we're all connected somehow. Sometimes that's what it feels like being a part of the family of God.

This past weekend I went to a training seminar for youth workers across New England. There were hundreds of people who I'd never met before, but we had a connection. Not only were we all Christians, but we all work in the same trenches discipling young people through the messy years of adolescence. It was a great encouragement to hear the war stories of others who are working together toward the same goal.

Being in the youth ministry training field, much of the training material was not new to me, but it was an encouraging affirmation that I'm actually teaching the right stuff. For example, the first morning session was a teaching from Eph 4:11-16, which is the very same passage I teach from in lesson 1 of my youth ministry course! Other topics included dealing with suicide, who is Generation Z, contextualization in youth ministry, and child safety policies and practices.

But outside of the teachings, I met a group of six youth workers who came from a small town church in northern NH. I sat with them over lunch and we ended up in a discussion group together. Since I was there alone, they welcomed me in as part of their group. Then right at the end of the last session, as everyone was leaving, they found me in the auditorium to pray for me and my mission in Namibia. People I'd just met hours before caring for me like one of their own. That's all it takes to make someone feel noticed and cared for and a part of something. That's what it looks like to be part of God's family.

Fall in New England

When it is time to schedule my home assignment, I always strategically plan to be back in the States during the Fall. The changing leaves, antique buildings, and painted mountainsides of New England all combine for a picture perfect season. When people ask what do I enjoy most when I'm back in the States, this is high on the list. 

Hearing God

Life gets loud sometimes. Duties and distractions come calling. In all the noise and speed of life, it's a wonder we hear anything anymore. It seems like an antiquated novelty to stop and listen. I once led a spiritual formation retreat and to practice we spent 15 minutes by ourselves in silence. One exuberant young lady said it was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do!

For me it's very easy to, as my friend put it, "do things for God, without spending time with God." So during my home assignment I set aside 3 days to get away from everything, in a cabin out in the woods, with no agenda but spending time with God and listening to Him. We plan for our fitness and our nutrition and our lifetime learning. Why don't we spend as much time and effort developing and caring for our souls?

I had booked my retreat at a camp/conference center that has a private cabin out in the woods for just that purpose. I arrived excited for a bit of silence and solitude, only to find out they had double booked that cabin and instead had put me in a different cabin...right in the middle of the camp. During that week, they were also hosting a high school retreat with 100 noisy teenagers (some of whom were quite fond of hanging out on the porch of my cabin) and a women's conference. So much for silence and solitude. But despite the disappointment and distractions, I determined that one can meet with God anywhere, so I would try to make the most of it.

To help guide my thoughts on this retreat, I was reading the book Hearing God by Dallas Willard. He attempts to lead the reader toward what he calls a "conversational relationship with God." He wants us to understand that yes, God does still speak to us today. And he helps clarify how one can discern the "still small voice" of God in our own thoughts. It was a timely read with many helpful insights. One point was particularly potent, he emphasized how in seeking God's specific will for a particular situation, we often fail to be practicing God's general will for our lives. One example he used was to "be thankful in all circumstances" (1 Thess 5:18), which quickly reminded me of Phil 2:14, "Do all things without complaining or arguing." This hardly described my attitude about being stuck in the cabin in the middle of camp. So, as He often does, God used a situation I didn't like to remind me how far I have to go in Christlikeness and nudge me gently in that direction.

Overall it turned out to be a nice few days and a great reminder that I need to slow down and listen more often. Time spent in stillness and silence isn't a waste. It's soul care.

A still, quiet morning by the lake

A short hike to a big view

How to listen well to a missionary on home assignment

We all know the drill. Missionaries go out across the world doing amazing work, and then every now and then they show up back at our churches to share about what God's doing in other parts of the world. We all love the idea, and their stories about cultural mishaps are funny, but let's be honest, sometimes the more personal conversations can be a bit difficult and awkward.

There are plenty of valid reasons for this. They've spent years adapting to a new culture that you are clueless about and can't relate to. You don't know any of the places or people involved in their stories. Meanwhile you've carried on your own life at home without them. Maybe we even want to know what's happening, but we just don't know what questions to ask.

So my hope is to give you a few tips and questions to ask that can help you embrace the awkwardness and love your missionaries better.

#1: Remember our common bond in Christ. You may not be able to relate to all their experiences, but one thing we all have in common is a relationship with Jesus. If nothing else, you can connect over that.

#2: Stalk them before they come. That's right, get on their Facebook page. Read their latest newsletter or blogposts. Get informed so you know better what they've been up to and what questions you can ask. There's nothing quite as discouraging as when someone who receives their newsletter asks, "So remind me again, what are you doing there?"

#3: Be curious. Be willing to learn about a culture, a place, and a ministry that you are unfamiliar with. Not only will they be excited to share, but it will help broaden your perspective on God's work around the world.

#4: Chat in small groups. There's safety in numbers. Sometimes somebody else has an interesting question that you hadn't thought of.

#5: Ask specific, open-ended questions. There's nothing worse than the question, "So, how is Namibia?" Seriously?! How do you expect me to answer that. I know you're only asking because you don't really know what to ask, so that's why I'm here to help. First, ask more specific questions so I know what you're interested in. Also, ask open-ended questions that don't have one word answers. Then listen carefully so you can ask a follow up question. Here are some suggestions to get you started...

Questions about the place:
How is the landscape different than here?
What is the weather like?
What is the religious climate of the country?
What are the languages they speak? Have you had to learn any of them?

Questions about the people:
What are the population demographics like in the area where you live?
Tell me about the people you're ministering with?
What students/disciples are you most excited about lately?
Where have you found good community and friendships?

Questions about their experience:
What are the specific ministries you're involved in there?
What are some foods you like/dislike there?
What are your favorite parts about living there?
Regarding cultural differences: Do you have a specific story about that?

Remember, speaking about the place and the culture may be interesting, but their passion and the reason they are there is the people they are ministering among. Get them talking about people and they'll come alive.

Listening well to our missionaries helps them feel loved, cared for, and understood. And that's often what they need most during home assignment. So let's make the effort to learn how to be better listeners.

The Queen City

The first major stop on my Home Assignment tour is Charlotte, North Carolina. I lived here for four years while attending Reformed Theological Seminary. It's by far the largest city that I've ever lived in. The greater Charlotte area has about the same population as the whole country of Namibia! Charlotte has about everything you could want in a city, tons of restaurants, artsy districts, great parks, professional sports, an amusement park, a hopping downtown, but plenty of suburbs for a smaller town family feel. I'll be here about three weeks visiting old friends, reconnecting with my old church, and doing some trainings and debriefing at the SIM head office.

NASCAR headquarters in Charlotte

Charlotte is also the headquarters for SIM USA