The team attended the inter-denominational Mission Connexion event on Friday and Saturday. Keynote speakers Leroy Barber, Steve Moore and Bob Goff were inspiring and motivating. "Do for a few what you wish you could do for many" (Steve Moore). Take risks in loving (Bob Goff). Open our eyes to injustice right here in Portland and do something about it! (Leroy Barber)
Students were able to choose from many different workshop sessions during the day, such as music in missions and working with refugees. Several of us learned about the Standards of Excellence in short-term missions. I got ideas from the KidStory session that I will use in the DR and in la clase de español! We plan to make Mission Connexion a regular part of our short-term missions training.
We camped out at PAA Friday and Saturday nights--with 8 girls and me in the small meeting room off the library, it was a cozy slumber party. One benefit to having a pre-trip retreat is learning which students will be hard to get to bed and which ones will be hard to wake up! The girls learned about my bedtime tradition of singing a German goodnight lullaby each night (Skeek taught it to me back in college!), and waking them with a variety of overly cheery morning songs. I don´t think our four boys got a lullaby from sponsors Mike and Paul.
Sunday morning topics dealt with spiritual preparation for our trip. We all took time for 1-on-1 time with God and also spent some time thinking about how to share our spiritual journeys.
Students were able to choose from many different workshop sessions during the day, such as music in missions and working with refugees. Several of us learned about the Standards of Excellence in short-term missions. I got ideas from the KidStory session that I will use in the DR and in la clase de español! We plan to make Mission Connexion a regular part of our short-term missions training.
We camped out at PAA Friday and Saturday nights--with 8 girls and me in the small meeting room off the library, it was a cozy slumber party. One benefit to having a pre-trip retreat is learning which students will be hard to get to bed and which ones will be hard to wake up! The girls learned about my bedtime tradition of singing a German goodnight lullaby each night (Skeek taught it to me back in college!), and waking them with a variety of overly cheery morning songs. I don´t think our four boys got a lullaby from sponsors Mike and Paul.
Sunday morning topics dealt with spiritual preparation for our trip. We all took time for 1-on-1 time with God and also spent some time thinking about how to share our spiritual journeys.