PFO in review

Wow- it's hard to believe that I'll be shipping out of here in less than three weeks! Time's running out here in the States, and I'll admit that I get a little antsy when I think about how much I've still got to get done.. but after a tremendous couple of weeks in Southaven, Mississippi for PFO, I'm confident that the Lord's got his hands all over me and this big move I'm making and that things'll come together soon enough.

So NICS (Network of International Christian Schools- the organization that my school belongs to) puts on a tw0-week pre-field orientation (PFO) near their headquarters just outside of Memphis each summer for new staff. We met at a huge church/school facility to hear lecture after lecture on various subjects essential to preparing us for our particular mission field. A large chunk of our time was spent looking at personality assessments and discussing group dynamics, which I felt was helpful. Even better, though, was getting to know the eight other folks from West Nairobi School who were present at PFO. I couldn't believe what amazing affirmation it was to watch relationships with these guys develop so quickly and effortlessly. There were five of us "singles" (which I've decided is a totally awkward term, by the way) and then two couples (Peter and Amber and Les and Karen) there that week. *I stole the photo to the left from Amy K.- this is me, Amy P., Joel, Amy K. and Julie with Abby and Noah (Peter and Amber's kids) on our last night in Southaven* We got to spend tons of time getting to know one another and bombarding Amy K.- the one WNS veteran at PFO- with all kinds of questions, which she graciously answered. What a phenomenal group. And knowing them is making this whole international move thing so much less daunting. I feel totally blessed.

Another great bonus during PFO was the opportunity to learn from folks who have been in "the business" for some time now. We had some great speakers and advisors, and I think we all felt that an amazing amount of material got covered during our lectures and small group meetings. Our program included lectures and discussions on understanding ministry issues, cultural differences and "the task" (everything involved in our classroom ministry as educators). But perhaps most meaningful of all was our introduction to the TCK- or "Third Culture Kid." Our speaker identified a TCK as "an individual who, having spent a significant part of the developmental years (0-18) in a culture other than the parents' culture, develops a sense of relationship to all of the cultures while not having full ownership in any. Elements from each culture are incorporated into the life experience, but the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar experience."

Interesting stuff, huh? I had been completely unaware of the concept of a TCK, until I realized that military brats fell into this category, along with missionary kids, international business kids, diplomatic cops kids, immigrant kids, refugee kids and international school kids. Having spent a semester student teaching in Germany at a military base school, I realize that I've already had a valuable time of exposure to the uniqueness of TCK's- their strengths, needs and quirks. I'm realizing now that that experience at Grafenwoehr Middle School was invaluable to my preparation for teaching in an international context with NICS. The Lord totally knew what He was doing, that's for sure! They're a fascinating bunch, and I'm excited to join the staff at West Nairobi School and have the privilege and honor of working with these students.

One of our last tasks during PFO was to generate a reflective self-report at the end of our two-week training which would be reviewed by the NICS staff and passed along to our school administrators. I'm not exactly the kind of person who can just barrel through something like that, though.. and so what could have and really should have taken me an hour, maybe two to do turned into this bottomless pit I couldn't dig myself cleanly out of. Whoops. In all honesty, the assignment really came to be a blessing, as it afforded me the opportunity to take some time and really figure out what the Lord's been up to in my life. And I realized through writing that report that I can no longer view my joining the staff of a NICS school as an accidental opportunity that I just sort of slipped into. It's a neat thing to see all the pieces of your life click together to create that bigger picture.. and that's exactly what the Lord did in my heart last week. I realize now that over the years I've been groomed and prepared specifically for this ministry to TCKs in Kenya. My love of teaching led me to a classroom ministry. My desire to student teach overseas with the Department of Defense Dependents Schools placed me in the lives of my first TCKs and helped me recognize that my safety and comfort and proximity to people and places I love are in God's hands, not mine. My heart for urban, disadvantaged and at-risk kids opened up a heart for the "Other" and a desire to step outside of my comfort zone and get a little dirty. And on and on...

I'm including (perhaps against my better judgment.. I feel a little silly!) a piece of that self-report that I wrote here for you to read if you'd like. I placed this poem at the beginning of my report, set above the rest of my narrative response, and I think that it's a pretty accurate reflection of where I am right now. It's pretty much just me exhaling a bit and allowing some things I've felt for a long time to rest on a page. Maybe some of you feel this way, too.

Roaring Whispers

I have grappled and groaned
Calling out for guidance
Some cipher in the stars
Cryptic message in the dust
I held my passion in one hand
Gripped my future in an upturned fist
Lifting high an incomplete, ironic offering
I beseeched You to bless me
Tell me where to go
Here are my gifts, wind
Here lie my talents, seas
Propel me, push me, drive me
Into knowing where I ought to be

But You just smiled patiently
I waited for a shout while you were whispering
I was grappling, groaning
Calling out to You
Lead me and I’ll follow
Advise me what to do
But You just smiled there patiently
Whispered sometime soon

I told You of my brilliant plans
Of all my zealous schemes
I told the world to hold its breath
See what would become of me
Here are my gifts, wind
Here lie my talents, seas
Propel me, push me…

Then Africa came calling
And somehow that whisper roared
And my fists melted into hands again
My future, my passions released
When Africa came calling
Grappling and groaning ceased
The wind and seas calmed
And the plains rose in a chorus
Peace

And still You smile, knowingly

And set to whispering again

Thanks for reading. The journey's just beginning, so I'm certain that there's much, much more to come than I can even imagine, just lingering on that African horizon :) I promise to tell you all about it...

Kate