Kazakhstan De-Brief

We had our final official meeting today with the Kazakhstan team. Its purpose was a follow up meeting to help us see what lessons we learned there and how to apply them here. Another person from Global Impact, Beth May, came facilitate the meeting, so that Dan and Karin could fully participate as well.

She first talked about the four common reactions after returning for a missions trip:

1. Isolated (feel out of place and withdraw)
2. Rebellion (No one understands them, angry at US culture)
3. Imitate (Resume life as if nothing happened)
4. Integration (use lessons learned by incorporating the old and new self)

Obviously the goal is to move as quickly as possible to reaction #4. I had some feelings along the lines of #1 and #3 upon returning, but thanks to other team members they didn't last long and I'm well on my way to #4.

We also listed the top 10 events that made the biggest impact on us while there. Then we narrowed that list down to the top four and were asked to think about what lesson we learned from each. Then we were to take the four lessons and try to tie them to an overall theme.

My four top events and lessons were:

1. Corporate prayer vs. Personal prayer - Lesson: I need to spend as much time being intentional and committed to spending time in personal prayer with God as I did originally to become comfortable in corporate prayer.
2. River in Oralsk (on day 10 I was feeling a little homesick and a river we went see felt like I was back home in LA with the humidity and all the bugs) - Lesson: God loves me and wants to show me in real and tangible ways
3. "Eyes Sparkle" (one of the guys on the trip asked a local believer why do people stare at us so deeply and she said it was because our eyes sparkle) - Lesson: We truly are a light to a very dark world
4. Sharing my testimony and devotions (3 different occasions) - Lesson: We must share our experiences and challenges we overcame in order to lead them closer to Christ

My overall theme from those is: By spending time with God daily through prayer and Bible study, I am able to show others the love of God through the testimony of my words and life.

If you read my Lessons of the Day post for today you will get a small glimpse of how awesome God is in working to affirm His lessons because both services I went to today directly related to that theme. TNL was to live a life blameless and pure in order to be a testimony to others and Frontline was to study the Bible so you will know truth. What an AWESOME God!!!