First Snowfall February 7, 2010

Well, when I lived in Wisconsin, I usually experienced the first snowfall of the year sometime around November.  But here in Missouri (and taking into consideration the fact that I was in Florida when Missouri was hit with a snowstorm over Christmas), I had my first snowfall of the season in the end of January.    Three or four inches of snow was all it took to snow us in, and it left us with no choice but to enjoy sledding, snowball fights, and going for midnight walks in the snow.  It was nice to have an excuse to shrug off responsibility for a time and take advantage of the opportunity to have fun with friends.

Unfortunately, the beautiful white snow has turned mostly brown and slushy, and has made our dirt roads here at the MTC a mess.  It’s an interesting experience to walk down the icy roads with my rainboots on… to get to the wash-house to take a shower. 

So, I’ve had my first snowfall of the season, and now I’m ready for summer… but that might just be wishful thinking.

sled time

Health and Wellness January 25, 2010

Well, classes have been going full force, here at the MTC, for the past week.  After having a whole month break in Florida, it was nice to jump back into some busyness.  It was even nicer that we didn’t have any homework for the week, so the adjustment was made much more smooth.  We began the semester off with a bang in Health and Wellness class.  In fact, Health and Wellness was the only class that we had for every period, every day.  It was fascinating to listen to our teacher as she shared with us her wealth of knowledge about diseases, ailments, and other various and sundry health issues we might encounter on the foreign mission field.  She even inserted a stomach tube… into HERSELF!  For that reason alone, Faye (our teacher) has become one of my heros. The class could get a little graphic at times and I wasn’t usually very hungry for lunch later, but I suppose it is best to be prepared for that which we might actually have to face as missionaries.  And though it is a little disturbing, even to me, I had to admit that there were many ailments mentioned throughout the week, that I not only saw while growing up in Papua New Guinea, but also experienced first hand. 

As we cruise into week two, we begin Romans class and Missionary Technology.  I’m looking forward to Romans class and being able to dig into the Word with my classmates.  I’m not so sure how I feel about Missionary Technology.  I have a sinking feeling that I might be a dismal failure in that class.  It could make for some good stories, though, so I’ll keep you all posted.

*I apologize for my lack of photo content in this post, but after all the disturbing photos I witnessed last week, maybe it is best that I leave it all to the imagination.

A Fresh, New Year January 5, 2010

Can it really be 2010?  It doesn’t seem too long ago that we were ringing in the new millennium.  I remember being in Papua New Guinea at the time and watching on tv as each country issued in the new millennium with all sorts of different celebrations.  The tradition at our mission base in Papua New Guinea was for the teenage guys to take the mufflers off of their motorbikes and drive around the base at midnight, while those of us without the proper noise-making vehicles just banged on pots and pans. 

This New Year seemed to creep up on me; following the busy end to my first semester in missionary training, and the excitement of Christmas spent with most of the family.  I drove down to Florida on December 19^th and 20^th with my friends DJ and Amber Royer.  I thought it would be a grand adventure to sit in the backseat with their 9 month old baby, Jaylea, but as it turned out, Jaylea was so well behaved during the car trip that there was nothing adventurous about the trip whatsoever.  It was a very smooth and uneventful drive.  I think I prefer that! J  Within two days of arriving in Florida, my younger brother, older brother, sister-in-law, and niece arrived to spend the holidays with my parents.  Besides just being able to all be together, one of my highlights this Christmas was being able to meet my 5 month old niece, Talia, for the first time.  It was so much fun to cuddle her, and make her smile, and watch all the funny faces that she makes.  That little girl sure has the whole family wrapped around her little fingers! 

The weather in Florida during this visit hasn’t really been what I would have ordered.  It may sound strange, but I’m freezing.  The temperature is in the 50’s most days, but I’d prepared myself for Florida heat, or at least Florida semi-warmth.  I didn’t pack enough warm clothes.  The weather hasn’t stopped my family from doing all sorts of things.  We’ve been able to attend two Orlando Magic games.  I’ve never watched basketball before, and barely remember some of the finer rules of the game, but I can now tell you that Dwight Brown doesn’t play for the Orlando Magic… Dwight Howard does though (oops, my bad). 

I had my first kayaking experience last weekend.  My dad has wanted to get me out in a kayak ever since he got one, so my mom, dad, and I spent an afternoon kayaking.  It was fun, but I have to admit that my favorite part was when my mom and I hitched ourselves to my dad’s kayak for a while. My mom and I also kept a pretty vigorous look out for alligators while we were out on the water.  We were happy when we made safely back to shore; all limbs still intact.

 I also had a chance to spend a chilly day in St Augustine with my parents.  Apparently St Augustine is the oldest city in the US and was founded by the Spanish in 1565.  It was a very interesting town to look around.  There was so much interesting history and architecture.  We had a fun day exploring the cute little shops and driving down all the narrow streets. 

All in all, my Christmas break has been splendid.  I’m so thankful for this time to spend with family and friends and also for some time to be refreshed and ready to begin my second semester at the MTC.

It is Done… D-U-N December 18, 2009

Well, my first semester at the MTC is officially finished. Today we had Church Planting wrap up. It was good to be reminded about how all the classes we had this semester were preparing us for the field. In the midst of the classes and the busyness I can tend to forget their purpose.
What’s next, you ask? Well, tonight I’ll see some dear friends graduate from here, and then tomorrow I’ll be starting the drive down to Florida (and my parents) with my friends, DJ and Amber Royer.
Let the Christmas vacation begin!

These Fun, Busy Times December 14, 2009

Well, we’re down to one week before I’ll be in sunny Florida for a nice Christmas vacation.  This semester has been great, and I’m looking forward to next semester, but that said, I’m really looking forward to break. 

The last few weeks here at the MTC have been crammed full of the usual busyness pertaining to life here in the missionary training.  But added to that has been get togethers and parties for Christmas, the end of the semester, etc.  It’s been a good kind of busy, but busy nonetheless. 

Phonetics class wraps up tomorrow, and is culminating in a phonetic write-up paper on a language that you are interested in.  For my paper I chose Melanesian Pidgin (Tok Pisin).  It was fun to learn about the language I grew up hearing from a phonetic standpoint.  Teamwork class also ended today in group skits about what we’ve learned about teamwork in class.  There was so much to choose from to do a skit about (leadership, singles on the field, women in ministry, international teams, etc).  The subjects that were covered in class were very informative, and also made for some pretty hilarious skits.  I haven’t laughed that hard in a while!

I’ve also had some extra-curricular busyness; hanging out with friends who will be graduating.  My neighbor, Amber, my classmate, Bekah, and I were roommates in Bible School.  Amber will be graduating in a few days, so on Friday the three of us went to Springfield for the afternoon to hang out and enjoy some last time together.  We had a blast, and it was great to spend some time talking with my sisters in Christ about what God has been teaching them, and molding them in this semester.  Then last night my roommate, Holly, and I decided to have a roommate “date night.”  We bought some sparkling grape juice, microwave macaroni and cheese, and sat down to watch Home Alone (a childhood favorite for both of us).

So, as the title of this post says, these have been fun, busy times.  There will be more to come, but I probably won’t have a chance to write about them until I’m basking in the Florida warmth.

Amber, Bekah, and I colored and chatted while sipping lattes at the coffee shop... try it- it's fun!

All you need for a great evening is Home Alone, sparkling grape juice, and a roommate that you are continually thanking God for.

Christmastime is Here! December 6, 2009

Well, the temperature here in Missouri has finally dipped below freezing.  My walks to the washroom for my morning shower has gotten quite a bit faster, as I scurry along trying to get out of the cold as quickly as possible.  We haven’t had any snow yet, but I’ve been blessed every night to look outside and see the grass cloaked in a garment of a million sparkling diamonds of frost.

Yesterday in Camdenton (the closest town to us), there was “Christmas in the Square.”  I had a chance to go along with my friends DJ and Amber Royer, and their little girl, Jaylea.  We enjoyed some hot cocoa, and chocolate covered marshmallows while listening to some kids singing Christmas karaoke. (they sounded terrible, but bless their hearts, they sure tried   Amber tried to get me to have my picture taken with Santa or Buddy the Elf, or anyone, but to no avail.  The weather was frigid (compared to what we’ve been used to), but it was fun to break out our hats and dress up all warm.  I think that I might not even mind it when the snow comes this year.

Amber and I- great friends

 

The Royer's beautiful daughter, whom I have the privilege of babysitting most Wednesdays.

A Glimpse of Fall October 15, 2009

Fall is in the air.  Over the last week, we’ve said goodbye to our nice 70 degree weather, and have traded it for 50 degrees, and much rain.  My roommate, Holly, and I have gotten the pilot light lit in our heater (which we affectionately call Jack), and have kept quite cozy.  I have to say, however, that there is definitely something different about walking to the wash house for a shower when the 6am temperature is in the very low 40’s.  I’m sure that someday they’ll be fond memories, but some mornings all I can think of is, ‘I’m cold.’  The trees are just beginning to change colors.  Sometimes I’m so busy going about my life and daily activities, that I’m afraid that I’ll miss the beauty of the fall.  I think that fall can be a good reminder from God to stop the daily grind for a moment and appreciate the beauty that He has made. 

Last weekend I went to Ha Ha Tonka Park (nice name, right?) to look around and take a few pictures.  It was nice to just spend some time appreciating the beauty all around that God made for His pleasure and our enjoyment.  And it was nice to appreciate it with some friends.  I’m anxiously awaiting the peak fall colors, which I’m sure will be soon to come.

Holly and I all bundled up against the chill

Beautiful Missouri

Update soon to come September 30, 2009

After a few crazy weeks, and an even crazier weekend. Through classes and almost loosing my sister I will be writing to update this weekend. The rest of this week is still looking crazy, but I’ll sit down to write and process it all this weekend.

Roach, Missouri… A Month Later September 22, 2009

It’s a vicious cycle, really.  I put off updating my blog with news about classes and life at the MTC, and then I feel guilty about not writing, which makes me feel less like writing, which makes me feel guilty.  So, I’m here to say, ‘My name is Danielle, and I’ve been a blog updating delinquent for 1 month.’ (Now you can all say, ‘Hi Danielle’)

Ok, confession time is over… now let’s get to the nitty gritty.  Here we go…

When I think about the beginning classes at the Missionary Training Center (MTC), the picture that comes to my head is of someone (namely myself), holding onto the bumper of a car and running along behind the car as it clips along at 45 miles an hour.  I really feel as though I hit the ground running when I arrived at the MTC, here in Roach, Missouri.  The first few weeks of classes were spent figuring out how to organize my new schedule and acclimate myself to this new MTC culture I’d become a part of.  At times I felt as though I was just trying to keep my legs moving fast enough to keep the pace, but as the days have gone by, I’ve begun to settle into a routine.

After finding my routine, and getting into a groove, I’ve found that I’m enjoying being back in the classroom setting.   Classes have been great, and I’ve been able to sit under teaching on such subjects as, Communication Skills, Teaching Styles, Foundational Bible Teaching, Stewardship, and Worldview Analysis (to name a few).  I’m so grateful for this time of equipping in future ministry.

Besides classes in the morning, I spend three afternoons a week assisting in the Outreach office as a secretary.  It’s been great to see how outreach is run, and actually be involved behind the scenes.  There are a number of outreaches that the MTC is involved in, and each student is required to join an outreach of their choice while they are students here.  I chose to be a part of the Woman 2 Woman team. 

Woman 2 Woman is a Christian organization that helps women in the area get back on their feet.  Women turn to this organization for various reasons.  Some need help getting a job, others need help in dealing with relationships, and others just need help setting goals and boundries in their lives.  One of the choices these women have is to be involved in a mentorship program.  The Woman 2 Woman team here at the MTC is involved in the mentorship side of things.  It’s been such a blessing to be involved in a team of women who really focus on prayer, knowing that we in ourselves can’t be effective mentors to anyone, but Christ in us will be that which effects change in the life of another.

Home life here on campus has also been a blessing.  God has provided a wonderful roommate in Holly.  Holly is in her second semester at the MTC, and is someone whom I’d known at Bible School in Wisconsin.  I’d prepared myself in advance to have to make many compromises with a roommate, knowing that it is just something that is necessary when living with someone- no matter who they are.  I know that God went before me in allowing me to room with Holly.  We get along famously.  We really enjoy each other’s company and laugh a lot.  We’ve also taken up hosting Tuesday Night Coffee at our apartment every week.  The time of fellowshipping over a cup of coffee with staff and students alike, is something I always look forward to.

As I look towards the next months of classes and training time, I am excited to think about all the things God will be teaching me.  I am confident that as the Lord prepares me for overseas ministry, He will be faithful to these words…
  Philippians 1:6  “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ.” 

Northern Ireland Experience August 21, 2009

This post is long over due, but to tell you the truth, I’ve put it off for a few days because I wasn’t sure how to condense two weeks into a few paragraphs.  To sum up the 14 days in Northern Ireland, I could say in one word that it was great.  I suppose though, that it would be nice to expound a little on that. 

When I landed in Dublin on August 1st, I really wasn’t sure what to expect.  The last time I’d been in Northern Ireland was back in 1998, when I was 12 years old, so my memories were a little fuzzy.  It was fascinating to see the country through the eyes of a 23 year old, instead of the 12 year old that I was last time.

I spent the first few days in Northern Ireland with my aunt Beverly.  It was fun to get to know Beverly on a woman to woman basis, and enjoy special treats that appeal greatly to girls like us (shopping, going out for coffee, etc).  Most of the sightseeing I did in Northern Ireland was in the first week while I stayed with Beverly.  We were able to go to Belfast for shopping and a little sightseeing.  Another day we (along with my grandparents) went for a drive up the Antrim Coast to Giant’s Causeway.  The drive up the coast follows the curvy coastline.  It was absolutely gorgeous to see green, sheep speckled hills on one side of me, and the beautiful blue ocean on the other.  It’s also a good thing that I don’t get motion sick because some of those roads were pretty intense.  We made a few stops along the way for coffee and scones (I was basking in the tea-time culture , and we also made a stop at Carrick-a-Rede.  Carrick-a-Rede is a rope bridge that salmon fishers used to use, and is now a tourist attraction.  In the late afternoon we finally made it to Giant’s Causeway.  Beverly and I had a good craic (fun Irish vocab… it means a good time) climbing all over the stones and marvelling at God’s amazing creation.  Another day, Beverly and I took a tour of a stately home named Mount Stewart.  My Regency Era, Jane Austen heart was in bliss.  The house and garden at Mount Stewart were absolutely beautiful. 

After many days with Beverly, I stayed with my Nana and Papa for a few days.  With them and a family friend,I went to the Ulster Folk Park, an area where old houses and buildings are transported and kept as they would have been in the days that they were inhabited.  By coincidence, or providence, I met up with the parents of some of my New Guinea classmates.  I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw them there.  It was great to catch up.  Another day my grandparents took me to Downpatrick, and St Patrick’s grave.  I’d been there when I was little, but didn’t appreciate it at the time.  I love the story of St Patrick, the missionary to the Irish.  *interesting tidbit: St Patrick used the shamrock to illustrate the trinity- three leaves together as one shamrock.

My last few days in Northern Ireland were very busy, a little hectic even.  On the 12th, my parents flew into Dublin.  We immediately hid them away at another aunt’s house because they’re presence in Northern Ireland was going to be a suprise for my grandparents 50th anniversary.  The next day my uncle and three of his kids flew in from Germany, also as a suprise.  Finally on the 14th, and day before I left, we had an anniversary party for my grandparents, and brought out the suprise arrivals.  The careful planning, and effort to keep quiet really paid off.  My grandparents were shocked to tears, many tears. 

All in all my time in Northern Ireland, was as I said, great.  It was fun to spend one on one time with so many of my days family, and also to meet a bunch of my cousins that I’d never met before.  It was also fun to be submersed in the Irish culture and analyze it.  I really enjoyed that.

Beverly and I

 

Crossing Carrick-a-Rede

 

Giant's Causeway from the trail above

 

Taking time to sit in the "Giant's Boot"

 

New (to me) Cousins!

 

Mount Stewart

 

How Irish!

 

With Nana at St Patrick's grave

 

Sightseeing with my family and the McRoberts

 

Looking at wedding photos from 50 years ago

 

The American and German cousins