As I sit on a couch in an apartment that I have called home for the past 3 weeks I reflect on the past 2 months. It has been almost that long since I was back in my own apartment. The past almost 2 months now has been a whirlwind. I finished my exams, visited the capital (my first time there), went to our annual conference / retreat, and just finished 2 and half weeks of cultural training. As I look through my records it has been that long since I wrote you guys – which is too long!
This time of year is big winter break for all the college students so I don’t have any class and almost none of my friends are around because they all go back to their hometowns to spend the holiday with their extended family. Because of this we have our annual conference / retreat at this time and take the opportunity to do some training for everybody. Also this is the time when we, as CT, start talking as a group about what next year will look like and discuss any changes we want to make.
It was this time last year that I made the decision to be here long term and it was at that time that I decided to study the language this year. Last year was the first year that CT had long term workers. We knew that it was a good idea for them to learn the language and to not have to come back every summer but we didn’t really have any specific training for long term people. We also realized that a lot of people need more time to raise support. Also, we as on organization have come to realize that to see the reproducing house party movements (CPM) grow, we need a teams of people who are committed to seeing it happen in specific places.
Out of this realization the leadership has created a 6 month internship in that states that would go from the summer through the fall with people coming back to Asia in time for our annual retreat in January. The internship would include leadership training, time for support raising, Bible training, personal vision time, and various practical trainings sessions. Also, it would serve as a time for teams to coalesce for a campus or city.
For me, going to this Internship is optional. That being said, I am seriously considering going to it. I think that to have more of a specific vision for a city or individual campus and to be with a team of people who are also committed to seeing a Church Planting Movement started there is exactly what I need. As you may know I have struggled some this year with motivation and I believe that having a specific vision would really help with that. Also, I think that having more training in general would be good as I never went to Bible school and, while I have been doing a video based international Bible training school, I still feel I could use more specific ministry training and the personal interaction that comes with being in a class versus watching a teaching video.
With all that being said I am still not decided on what I should do. I know that when I left last summer that I told all you that I would be staying here for 3 years before going back so I am sure this comes as a surprise as it does to me too. Please pray for me while I make this decision and I would love to hear your input and thoughts about this.
With love in Him
-Rocky