What a week it has been! Wow, it's been a week already since students have arrived. I love it. I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone, one d-group at a time (when they're on cook crew). Today is our last full "normal" day of Training Camp. Tomorrow is the Open House, Sunday is tear down, and Monday we leave for Nepal!!!< br/>
Please continue to pray that personal issues within the team would surface so that they be worked through and we can continue towards our ministry in Nepal with no baggage holding us back.
Also please continue to pray for the health of our team as today is going to be another scorcher!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Training Camp, Staff Week
Staff Disciplers seriously make this Royal Servants experience possible. They are the ones who are constantly pouring their lives into the students. They are the ones who tend to be making more sacrifices by giving up their summer freedom. Disciplers are necessary for discipleship, which is the heart of what Royal Servants is about.
Our staff team arrived on Saturday, June 16 and we have been having so much fun since! I have never seen a group so comfortable with each other in so little time. We have 10 disciplers: 8 girls (Anna, Ashley, Kaila, Karissa, Marcie, Michelle, Renee and Stacey) and 2 guys (Cody and Connor). This group of individuals has consistently been raising the bar for team unity.
At this point in time we are divided. Job, Bethany, Ian and 5 of our staff are in Chicago picking up students while Kelsie and I and the remaining 5 staff are holding down the fort at Training Camp waiting for some students who will be driving in. This is what they have been trained for; a week of teachings and individual attention to prepare them to do the same for their discipleship groups.
Pray that they would not be distracted by lies of Satan. Pray for perseverance and longevity, both mentally and emotionally for our staff. Pray for focus on their students and their ministry opportunities in Nepal. Thank God for this week where they have formed great bonds of friendship with each other.
"A cord of 3 strands is not quickly broken."
Our staff team arrived on Saturday, June 16 and we have been having so much fun since! I have never seen a group so comfortable with each other in so little time. We have 10 disciplers: 8 girls (Anna, Ashley, Kaila, Karissa, Marcie, Michelle, Renee and Stacey) and 2 guys (Cody and Connor). This group of individuals has consistently been raising the bar for team unity.
At this point in time we are divided. Job, Bethany, Ian and 5 of our staff are in Chicago picking up students while Kelsie and I and the remaining 5 staff are holding down the fort at Training Camp waiting for some students who will be driving in. This is what they have been trained for; a week of teachings and individual attention to prepare them to do the same for their discipleship groups.
Pray that they would not be distracted by lies of Satan. Pray for perseverance and longevity, both mentally and emotionally for our staff. Pray for focus on their students and their ministry opportunities in Nepal. Thank God for this week where they have formed great bonds of friendship with each other.
"A cord of 3 strands is not quickly broken."
Training Camp, Cabana Wizard
Two weeks have flown by in the blink of an eye. Senior Staff week was more relaxed but still training. I found out that I am in charge of our FOOD for the summer. Which to be perfectly honest I wasn't terribly excited about. I am looking forward to doing meals in Nepal but not so much here in Wisconsin. This is our first year at the new land and with that comes a slew of health codes and laws in regards to meals. We get to cook out of really nice, wooden cabanas now but we also must continually wash and glove our hands / and guard our hair with hats and bandanas. As I like to say, "Don't be weird, guard your beard!"
Food is going to be a great experience for me, and very stretching. Job and I have already a couple of discussions on the fact that I need to stop jumping into the fray and I need to sit back and delegate more responsibilities. I was speaking with my good friend Dennis yesterday, who led Barnabas in 2009 (I ran meals for that team as well), and when I reminded him about that summer the first words out of his mouth were "The biggest problem was getting you to delegate!" So, I have a problem managing. I like doing things my way because I know I can get them done. The real issue, I think, is a lack of trusting the people God has given me to supervise. If I can begin trusting them to do what I ask then I can feel comfortable keeping my hands off. Which will be necessary if I am to keep myself from burning out this summer.
Pray that I release my iron grip on control of our meals to God.
Because he is a better cabana wizard than I.
Food is going to be a great experience for me, and very stretching. Job and I have already a couple of discussions on the fact that I need to stop jumping into the fray and I need to sit back and delegate more responsibilities. I was speaking with my good friend Dennis yesterday, who led Barnabas in 2009 (I ran meals for that team as well), and when I reminded him about that summer the first words out of his mouth were "The biggest problem was getting you to delegate!" So, I have a problem managing. I like doing things my way because I know I can get them done. The real issue, I think, is a lack of trusting the people God has given me to supervise. If I can begin trusting them to do what I ask then I can feel comfortable keeping my hands off. Which will be necessary if I am to keep myself from burning out this summer.
Pray that I release my iron grip on control of our meals to God.
Because he is a better cabana wizard than I.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Training Camp Update 1
The sun is shining, the skies are blue, and puffy white clouds are friendly and the wind attempts to take out our tent. We're at training camp. It's a new camp this year, Royal Servants owns their own land for training camp for the first year ever! It is simply wonderful. It's just missing staff and students now. But we have so much to do to prepare for them, thank goodness we get a week of prep.
This week we will be spending training for our roles this summer, getting camp ready, and bonding as a leadership team. There are five of us, Job and Bethany Hammond, the team leaders and Reign Staff, Jack and I, and Ian. I look forward to working along side of this group of friends.
And the verdict is out. Jack and I mentioned that once we got to training camp we would be given "roles" for the summer. Jack has been assigned to "Head Chef" and I will be taking care of anything medical our team might come across. Jack is helping prepare a meal right now, Chicken and Gravy. Yummy.
This week we will be spending training for our roles this summer, getting camp ready, and bonding as a leadership team. There are five of us, Job and Bethany Hammond, the team leaders and Reign Staff, Jack and I, and Ian. I look forward to working along side of this group of friends.
And the verdict is out. Jack and I mentioned that once we got to training camp we would be given "roles" for the summer. Jack has been assigned to "Head Chef" and I will be taking care of anything medical our team might come across. Jack is helping prepare a meal right now, Chicken and Gravy. Yummy.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Heading Out
What a day! What a week! The amount of things one can accomplish when one is leaving for two months in less than 24 hours is impressive. Kelsie and I have been working feverishly to clean up our apartment (something made more difficult as we do not do it as often as we should) and get packed. Our checklists are nearly 100% crossed off, just a few minor details remaining. Tomorrow we head to the twin cities to spend a day with some family (my dad, his cousin and I get to see the Cubs hopefully beat the Twins). And on Saturday we will make our way to Pardeeville, WI for our first day at the NEW training camp land. When Royal Servants is done, it'll be more like Party-ville. We are SO excited to be going. Once again thank you to everyone who has been praying for our preparations and helpied to support us financially. As of today we have received $12,749 from 67 families and 5 churchs, well beyond our goal. I need to go help continue packing. Please stay in prayer for us throughout the summer!
Ways to pray for Jack and Kelsie:
- That our marriage is made stronger through the difficult times this summer.
- That we would allow God to grow us in our ability to encourage our students.
- That, God-willing, we would stay in good health AKA no diarrhea!
- That the students hearts would be broken for those in desperate need of a Savior.
- That our students would be courageous in directing the desperate to the Savior, Jesus Christ.
PS - We LOVE mail!
Feel free to send encouragement in the form of letters and packages to:
Jack and Kelsie Becker
Nepal Team
W4797 State Road 33
Pardeeville, WI 53954
Ways to pray for Jack and Kelsie:
- That our marriage is made stronger through the difficult times this summer.
- That we would allow God to grow us in our ability to encourage our students.
- That, God-willing, we would stay in good health AKA no diarrhea!
- That the students hearts would be broken for those in desperate need of a Savior.
- That our students would be courageous in directing the desperate to the Savior, Jesus Christ.
PS - We LOVE mail!
Feel free to send encouragement in the form of letters and packages to:
Jack and Kelsie Becker
Nepal Team
W4797 State Road 33
Pardeeville, WI 53954
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Pre-Summer 4: Packing and Dal Bhat
It's starting to sink in that we leave in less than a week. Have I started packing? No. (although Jack has had his shirts in zippies for over a week)
Jamison, one of the students on our team, leaves for training camp in 18 days and she is more packed than I am. I hung out with her on Friday for a packing party; sharing some Royal Servants packing tricks. We rolled shirts, folded paper towels and pulled out the center of the toilet paper rolls.
Two hours later we sat down to enjoy a home-cooked Nepali dish: Dal Bhat. Delicious!
Now I just need to finish editing photos www.kelsielynnphotography.com and get down to packing myself. I am SO excited to meet the rest of our team very soon. Thank you for you prayers and support. We leave town in 3 days.
Jamison, one of the students on our team, leaves for training camp in 18 days and she is more packed than I am. I hung out with her on Friday for a packing party; sharing some Royal Servants packing tricks. We rolled shirts, folded paper towels and pulled out the center of the toilet paper rolls.
Two hours later we sat down to enjoy a home-cooked Nepali dish: Dal Bhat. Delicious!
Yes, you eat with your hands.
Now I just need to finish editing photos www.kelsielynnphotography.com and get down to packing myself. I am SO excited to meet the rest of our team very soon. Thank you for you prayers and support. We leave town in 3 days.
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