Staff Retreat: Stages of Enculturation

Monday to Thursday this week were spent at the annual Center For Global Outreach (CGO) Staff Retreat. (The CGO is a fancy name for the office). All the people that work in the office here in Fort Myers traversed a few hours north to Lake Aurora Christian Camp to refocus, reconnect, and have a little fun (i.e. There was a guest appearance by the band "Don't Blink," the members of which looked suspiciously like a few hilarious guys from the NMSI office who were clad in thrift store clothes and also orchestrated/officiated our very own NMSI Olympics). Somehow I ended up being a team captain in the Olympics; our team name was, "Blink a Little." Though we lost the Olympics overall, we did laugh a LOT and won the paddle boat competition. The camp itself was beautiful, especially one morning when fog covered the grounds.

As far as reconnecting, I was surprised at how many staff members I already know here! Of the approximately 45 adults at the retreat/that work in the office, there were only about four that I didn't know the names of. Craziness! Additionally, I had opportunities to talk at length (or sometimes just listen) to some of my current housemates and some of my housemates from last summer. You know how I'm a fan of one-on-one conversations, so that was just nice!

I got to spend some time reflecting on how good God is in general and how good He specifically has been to me over the last few weeks. Sometimes I just found myself amazed by Him and wanted to sing---a symptom of a grateful heart, I think! Today the song "Mighty to Save" was stuck in my head. Well, the chorus was anyways...we sang it one night, but I don't know it that well yet.

Verse 1:
Everyone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

Chorus:
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
My God is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

Verse 2:
So take me as you find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
I surrender...

Coda:
Shine your light and
Let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory
Of the risen King

Not only was there fun and reconnection, there was some refocusing on the gospel through skits, times of solitude, devos, and corporate prayer. Lastly, there was some corporate processing time with Phil (the former president of NMSI); it was intense. We learned a little more about what Phil and Gwen have been learning and how they are changing and growing in the aftermath of his confession. They are changing and growing, and that's exciting. I think we all learned a little more about how deeply one man's sin can affect so many people as well. Wow.

Part of me felt like I belonged with these people, doing these things, and part of me was thinking, "Oh, I'm at camp! I'm going to go home to St. Louis at the end of the week!" In reality, it will probably be Winter of 2009 before I visit St. Louis. Being here in Florida doesn't feel "real" yet. In a way moving to Florida and onto the NMSI campus is like transitioning into life in another culture and so the Florida enculturation process can be similar to moving to another country. Typically, they say there are five stages of enculturation (I stole these from a fellow missionary's blog):

1) Every thing is great
2) Everything is horrible
3) Some things are good, some bad but that is the way it is
4) You are a part of the culture
5) You have become one of them…

Obviously, having just arrived Saturday, I'm in Stage One---everything is great and exciting and new! Please pray that God will prepare me for and carry me through each of the next stages. I especially value your prayers as Stage Two---Everything is horrible---is next in the process. No person or organization is perfect. There will be hard times, hard people, emotional exhaustion, physical exhaustion, attacks by the Enemy, etc. Pray for regular rest, increased trust in God, deep friendships, and humility (continually refocusing on God and not myself) as I continue to transition during the coming months.