Discovering that Being Different Isn’t Weird

I remember sitting in class thinking I was either going to pass out or spin out of my chair if I didn’t get up soon. I felt horrible and could hardly make it back to our apartment before my body started coming undone.

I was having another “attack” where my whole body felt like it was going haywire and I could do nothing but cry, lay down and pray it would end soon. I shared more on my personal page. You can read it here.

That’s how we started week 2 of culture training and it’s not what Johnny nor I had in mind for our month in North Carolina. I ended up having to leave and come back to Knoxville to work with a specialist (the same angel sent from above who has helped Emma’s health so much!) Meanwhile, my family was back at intercultural training and ironically, the topic that week was spiritual warfare. 🙂 Johnny did an amazing job handling everything back in N.C. while I was away!

Thankfully, my system rallied, we got labs done and results in and started making a plan to get better and I was able to join my crew again for week 3 and week 4 and we finished strong – albeit the stomach bug that ran through the house!

After that curve ball, we settled into somewhat of a routine and spent the next couple weeks learning about contextualization, team dynamics and leaving home well (among so many other things!)

So how would we explain intercultural training?

Informative…fun…exhausting…interesting…

It was informative, in fact, there was SO much information that I feel like my mind is still trying to absorb it all! We definitely took away some good nuggets to remember as we change cultures and help our kids with the transition. They did a great job of preparing Ellie – she can already sing Jesus loves me in Spanish!

It was fun because our class “Chose In” and we had really great discussions during training. Plus our awesome community was really intentional and we spent time around campfires, playing lots Frisbee and some volleyball and hanging out in the parking lot while the kids played.

It was exhausting because we had jam packed days and busy nights and since it was such an intensive study of culture, we were constantly trying to process that day’s new information. And anytime you’re out of routine, it just takes time to get everyone settled. But I will say that Johnny and the girls were total ROCKSTARS with the transition. I want to be – just need my ole body to cooperate! 🙂

It was interesting because culture is fascinating and beautiful and complicated. Just because we’re different doesn’t make one wrong and the other right. It’s just different. And different doesn’t mean it’s weird. I love that takeaway. 

Here is our fabulous class, sans the kids. 🙂

So what’s next?

We are in Knoxville for the next 8 weeks or so until we launch on January 5th. In the meantime, we are support raising for Adventures in Missions and are just about $1000/month away from our goal! We are so incredibly grateful for every ministry and person who has partnered with us financially. It is truly an answered prayer.

If you’re interested in discovering more about the vision of what we will be doing in Costa Rica, we would love to talk! Skype, Zoom, Facetime or dinner on us!

We want YOU to be part of the Dream Team! 

Whether that’s financial or in prayer or both, we need you!

Thank you guys for helping us to carry out this call we believe the Lord has placed on our lives to work with the World Race Gap Year to disciple, equip and send out missionaries to the nations.

If you’d like to donate towards our fundraising goal, you can click “Donate” up there on the left. We so appreciate you!

We love you!

Love,

Johnny, Christin, Ellie + Emma

P.S. If you’d like to be part of our private Facebook group where we will share prayer requests, real time updates, and videos of life in CR, click here.