Three weeks down, and nine more to go. Time is going by too quickly! I wish I could push a slow motion button, so that I could be sure to absorb every last drop of wisdom and information I am receiving.
I want to share with you all more about WOC and what we are learning. You'll soon receive our newsletter, which will give you a tidbit of information.
WOC (World Outreach Center) is a local church and missions support community. They have missionaries serving all around the world! Missionaries come here to receive ministry and training, both before, during, and after their time on the mission field.
WOC teaches and ministers through relationships and believes strongly in community and sending people out in teams. We are building many new relationships that we know will last a life time.
Now, let me tell you some more about out internship! I forgot how much I enjoyed school until now. I love it!----Especially knowing there isn't going to be a test.
Our class has eight students. When we came here, we figured we would be the "Old Goats" of the class. We assumed it would be mostly young people, fresh out of college. I am told, last year that was exactly what it was! Not this year! With one exception, we are all "Old Goats."
The other uniqueness to our class (another opposite of last year) is that, with the exception of Jody, it's all women!
The smallness of our class allows us to interact with our teachers, which is great. We're able to ask questions, and receive more interaction than in a normal class setting. We are also getting to know each other very well!
The first week of class was taught by Mr.Cava (our former college professor). People call him John around here, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I think he will always be Mr. Cava in my mind.
The class was "Intro to World Missions." Jody and I both took a class similar to this in college....ten years ago. So much has changed in the past ten years, and so much has been forgotten that it was like a brand new class.
The second week was "Ministering in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit." Scot Ford, a fellow class mate of mine from BRSM, was the teacher this week. This was more that just a time of learning. It was practice time. God has given us gifts and it's time to stir them up and use them. This was a very powerful week.
Last week's class was one of my favorite subjects: Cross Cultural Communication. I just love learning about how other cultures communicate and perceive things. Our teacher this week was Paulette Swiger (more about who she is in a minute). She teaches a nine week college course on the subject and we were lucky enough to get the condensed version.
This week is Discipleship; teaching us how to disciple others. This is also a college course of which we are getting a condensed version. It's taught by Mark Swiger. Both Jody and I have been blown away by this class and the week is only half over! The simplistic, yet thorough method from the Bible he is teaching is like nothing I have ever heard before. It's practical and can be modified to fit any situation and culture. I am so excited about this class!
Every Tuesday morning we have Experiencing God class. Through the week we are going through the book, Experiencing God, and on Tuesdays we talk about it. Ms. Jeanie (Scot's wife) teaches this class. She is a great teacher, and this series is one I would highly recommend.
Paulette and Mark Swiger were Missionary Evangelists in India for over 10 years. They have done more crusades in India than anyone else, and have done crusades in many other parts of the world. Their story is incredible. They were blacklisted from India because too many people were getting saved!
So, that's a glimpse into our internship, which is Tuesday through Friday for three hours in the morning. The afternoons is prayer each day, with internship 'chapel' on Thursday afternoons. We also have prayer on Tuesday nights.
Wednesday nights is our Missions Realities home group. We gather for a meal, and then discuss the practicalities of missionary life. Scot and Jeanie lead this group. They were missionaries in Italy and Germany for six years.
Friday nights is the Open Door Cafe. They open the coffee bar at the WOC center to the public and have live music. We're located in the middle of a neighborhood, and often have people drop by, plus many of the interns and church people come. It's a lot of fun!
We have also been taking advantage of living so close to Morning Star. We go each Sunday, and sometimes on Friday nights. Their worship is AMAZING!!
About every other weekend we head down to Cheraw to see Jody's family. His dad tickled pink to have his boy back. I know they are both benefiting from having this time together.
Our kids are doing very well. They've done a great job adjusting. Their schedule is close to ours. They come with us class and go into their own room where they do there school work and play. After lunch we go over their work together, and then they wait (not-so-patiently)until their friends get home from school. Then, they are out the door, and don't come back until I drag them inside.
We are learning and gleaning so much during this time. We are becoming more and more excited about what God has in store, and are so very ready to return to Ghana.
On the flip side, it has been hard to be away from our family and friends. We miss them all so very much. Skype helps, but it's not the same as doing every day life with the ones you love. But, as I often remind the kids. That's what eternity is for.
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