Orientation 2016!

I stood at the registration table with the TeachBeyond Mobilization Team, untangling name tag lanyards and assigning meal cards for the week.  After months of emailing with candidates, I could hardly wait for them come through the registration line to finally meet them in person!

Last week was the annual TeachBeyond Pre-Field Orientation, a week of training to equip TeachBeyond candidates for overseas service.  Content includes spiritual preparation, professional development, and cultural awareness, among other topics.  It can be an overwhelming week for participants as they absorb a lot of information and anticipate life overseas, not to mention using their free time to develop relationships with future team members and make support raising phone calls!

During some of the sessions, I had the opportunity to help out with the youth program!  This wasn't my primary role as in past years, but it was fun to blow bubbles, play pretend, and do a photo scavenger hunt with this group of soon-to-be missionary kids!

I was also privileged to present a session for the adult candidates on the importance of mentorship on the mission field.  Together we brainstormed the significance of mentors in our own lives thus far, and I shared about some of the specific challenges with mentorship on the mission field.  I challenged them to pray about what it looks like to live intentionally as mentors and seek out others to mentor them in their new contexts.

The week ended with a meaningful Dedication Ceremony to formally commission 81 adults for service in 23 different countries!  It was exciting to celebrate this milestone with the new members.

Eight of the candidates I processed, representing five different partner schools!

Please continue to pray for the new members as they trust God's provision in support raising, transition, and assimilation into a new culture.  The countdown is on... but this is only the beginning!

A few more photos from Orientation:

Erin was in the Velvet Ashes Connection Group I led in the fall, and then I got to be her Mobilization Coach when she joined TeachBeyond this spring!

Some of the Mobilization Team - we each live in a different state/province, so it was fun to be together for the week!

Ice cream in downtown Wheaton with some of the new TeachBeyond members!