Ok so onto the exciting part...where I'm going to be for the next 8 months!
Before I start here are a couple acronyms so this all makes sense:
YWAM=Youth With a Mission and DTS=Discipleship Training School.
I will be flying to Brisbane, Australia with my mom (who just retired from teaching) and my friend Josie on September 4. We are spending 3 weeks travelling around in Queensland and then will be parting ways with Josie as she starts a YWAM Waves DTS outside Brisbane in Maroochydore (more on YWAM later.... if you're curious check out the Waves Base's website: http://www.ywamwaves.com/ ).
My mom and I will then be flying from Brisbane to Christchurch, New Zealand. We will travel for another week (maybe up near Nelson?) before I start an Earthcare DTS at the YWAM base in Oxford, a little town just outside Christchurch (the Oxford Base's website is: http://www.ywamoxford.org/ ).
Before I go any farther, just a little info on YWAM and DTS...
Youth With A Mission is an international movement of Christians from many denominations dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. Also known as YWAM, their calling is to know God and to make Him known. Back when they began in 1960, their main focus was to get youth into short-term mission work and to give them opportunities to reach out in Jesus' name. Today, they still focus on youth, and they also involve people of almost every age (even many people who choose to spend their "retirement" in active service). Their many ministries fit into three main categories: evangelism, training and mercy ministry. They are currently operating in more than 1000 locations in over 149 countries, with a staff of nearly 16,000.
A Discipleship Training School (or DTS) is a program offered by many YWAM bases which aims to prepare messengers of the gospel, helping students to know God in depth. The goal is to form Christian character and establish Biblical principles while developing a daily walk with God. This intensive Christian training course typically begins with an 11 or 12 week classroom phase followed by a 12 week outreach. There are hundreds of DTS programs run internationally.
For more general info on YWAM check out their website: http://www.ywam.org
Ok so on with my story....I am doing the Earthcare DTS which has a focus on looking after the environment from a biblical perspective. I do about 3 months of training in Oxford NZ with little side trips on weekends around the South Island of NZ. After that I'll be heading out on Outreach for another 2-3 months probably somewhere in Southeast Asia (Cambodia or Indonesia I am guessing, but I don't know yet). I return to NZ for debriefing in mid-March and then the DTS will be over.
After that point in time I will have 5 weeks to travel within New Zealand before I fly out of Auckland at the end of April.
Anyway there's my exciting news. Right now reality is starting to hit since I leave in less than a week....and the feelings of excitement/fear are setting in. I'm guessing I won't post again until we're in Australia so consider this my last post from this side of the equator...catch you on the flip side!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Where I've Been...
Keeping track of people can become a full time job and sometimes the updates are few and far between. So for those of you who have decided to add me to your radar, here's a little snapshot of what life as I know it has been like in the last little while....
After spending 6 and a half years on the Island finishing my Bachelor of Science in Biology and jumping right into my Bachelor of Education in Elementary I figured it was time to spend some time to get paid to be at school. On the suggestion of my roomie, a little research, and a push from God I moved to Northern BC....in January (I know God had to have been involved because why else would anyone in their right mind move north in the middle of winter!).
I worked as a TOC (which for those of you who don't keep up with the politically correct teaching acronyms is a "teacher on call" or what some people might refer to as "just a sub") teaching just about every different grade in those first 6 months. Life as a TOC is kind of like a box of chocolates....you never know what kind of work you're going to get (and sometimes you don't get any at all!). I try to think of every day as an adventure and some days are definitely wilder than others.
Outside of teaching I got to know the new community and moved into my first solo-apartment. It took a while to get into the new swing of things, but gradually I started to build some connections finding a great church, meeting amazing new friends, and trying new things like snowshoeing. I did a little travel for another roomie's wedding and my university convocation and before I knew it the school year was over. I house-sat my way through my first teaching summer back on the Island teaching day camps and tutoring and had a great time with old friends.
When fall rolled around God led me back up north to live with a girl I'd never met in a house neither of us had ever been in to teach on call again. I spent the majority of my work time in Elementary schools this time, which I preferred, but a more predictable teaching job didn't seem to be in the cards yet. I enjoyed getting to know even more people and places in the community watched a gorgeous fall change into a snowy winter with a few little trips to break up the time.
After Christmas I was blessed to be in the same classroom for an entire month, and after a couple more months of on call work and some huge decision-making (more on those later) I found myself teaching grade 2 at the same school for the last 3 months of the school year. That contract built my confidence so much and I felt really lucky to work in such a supportive environment with such a great staff and student body.
After a hectic move I spent most of my second teaching summer house sitting in the same area, playing on a women's soccer team, preparing for my trip (more on that later), visiting with friends, and (maybe a bit half-heartedly) looking for a summer job. I'm finishing up my summer visiting with family and trying to tie up all my loose ends.
Another big thing that happened this summer was that I got baptised again (I was a baby the first time) which was a big decision for me and is a reflection of how I'm trying to follow God with all my life....especially as I head into these next 8 months and what I'll write about in my next post...
After spending 6 and a half years on the Island finishing my Bachelor of Science in Biology and jumping right into my Bachelor of Education in Elementary I figured it was time to spend some time to get paid to be at school. On the suggestion of my roomie, a little research, and a push from God I moved to Northern BC....in January (I know God had to have been involved because why else would anyone in their right mind move north in the middle of winter!).
I worked as a TOC (which for those of you who don't keep up with the politically correct teaching acronyms is a "teacher on call" or what some people might refer to as "just a sub") teaching just about every different grade in those first 6 months. Life as a TOC is kind of like a box of chocolates....you never know what kind of work you're going to get (and sometimes you don't get any at all!). I try to think of every day as an adventure and some days are definitely wilder than others.
Outside of teaching I got to know the new community and moved into my first solo-apartment. It took a while to get into the new swing of things, but gradually I started to build some connections finding a great church, meeting amazing new friends, and trying new things like snowshoeing. I did a little travel for another roomie's wedding and my university convocation and before I knew it the school year was over. I house-sat my way through my first teaching summer back on the Island teaching day camps and tutoring and had a great time with old friends.
When fall rolled around God led me back up north to live with a girl I'd never met in a house neither of us had ever been in to teach on call again. I spent the majority of my work time in Elementary schools this time, which I preferred, but a more predictable teaching job didn't seem to be in the cards yet. I enjoyed getting to know even more people and places in the community watched a gorgeous fall change into a snowy winter with a few little trips to break up the time.
After Christmas I was blessed to be in the same classroom for an entire month, and after a couple more months of on call work and some huge decision-making (more on those later) I found myself teaching grade 2 at the same school for the last 3 months of the school year. That contract built my confidence so much and I felt really lucky to work in such a supportive environment with such a great staff and student body.
After a hectic move I spent most of my second teaching summer house sitting in the same area, playing on a women's soccer team, preparing for my trip (more on that later), visiting with friends, and (maybe a bit half-heartedly) looking for a summer job. I'm finishing up my summer visiting with family and trying to tie up all my loose ends.
Another big thing that happened this summer was that I got baptised again (I was a baby the first time) which was a big decision for me and is a reflection of how I'm trying to follow God with all my life....especially as I head into these next 8 months and what I'll write about in my next post...
The Blog
I hate to be cliche. Seriously hate it. And setting up a blog before I go away feels really cliche....BUT so many people have asked me to keep in touch while I am away that this seems to be the best thing for a lazy person like me to do. So I'm being cliche.
Feel free to read as much or as little as you want and to send the link to people I may have unintentially forgotten or you think will be interested. Don't forget to write back though! I'll be checking email and facebook and I think I might even get an actual mailing address for part of the time. Even if it seems like life isn't that exciting, I always love to hear about what's going on, especially when I'm far from home.
I'm going to try and send out some postcards while I'm gone since so many people were so generous when I made my postcard map of the world with my grade two class in the spring. So if you're one of those people who loves getting snail mail, email me or message me your address on facebook and I'll do the best I can.
Feel free to read as much or as little as you want and to send the link to people I may have unintentially forgotten or you think will be interested. Don't forget to write back though! I'll be checking email and facebook and I think I might even get an actual mailing address for part of the time. Even if it seems like life isn't that exciting, I always love to hear about what's going on, especially when I'm far from home.
I'm going to try and send out some postcards while I'm gone since so many people were so generous when I made my postcard map of the world with my grade two class in the spring. So if you're one of those people who loves getting snail mail, email me or message me your address on facebook and I'll do the best I can.
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