All you Jan. 08 World Race families, get ready. you are about to be invaded by aliens.
That person who comes in through the front door with a backpack and a tent under each arm may look like your kid, but be ready to meet an entirely new person.
You see, they've been affected....by the world, by the people, by the community in which they have been living, and of course, by the Hand of the Almighty.
When our daughter came home last year, she had this urge to set her tent up in our front yard. (not really, but it sounds good.) Since we now live in a condo, that's quite the trick. it can be done, but there's not much room to move about.
The next thing, after the 30 minute shower, we looked at her pictures, fed her, then began asking "now what?"
My suggestion to your parents and grandparents....give them a day or two before you start in on what next, ? Frankly, your kids don't know what is next for them, and they are just as anxious as you to find out, but continuous asking will not help them find the answer.
These World Racers are highly motivated, so they are feeling a need to keep moving, doing, helping seeing and learning. they'll be up and about very darn soon, so relax and let it happen.
In our case, Alli, soon took off to visit friends, attend the Lakeland Revival twice, go to AIM and to two different conferences befoer she took off again with AIM for the October Race. They are in an large asian nation now, but headed to Africa next week. Her stay with us was maybe five months but then she was gone again.
She dosen't know "what's next" but she isn't standing still either.
So love those Racers. Feed them. Let them use up your hot water. Let them spread the dirt of the world all over your garage, but don't be suprised if they take off and go again.
It happens.
Best. have a great holiday,
Steve J
World Race Dad
Friday, November 21, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
World Race Motivation
While writing a paper this week on motivation theory, I turned my mind to the topic of World Race Motivation, or why in the world would anyone want to do that?
Now, I know that there are many, many reason, and they all come from God. The Jan. 2009 Team are collectively posting their thoughts on this, so read up on what these inspired young people are saying. And I can tell you that those who go, come back better for it...at least the ones I know well from June '07. God has a strong hand in their lives, and while some would love to go back to Manila and work in the orphanage again, they are here in the US working and living and praying and helping and reaching out to those around them who need to hear the Word of the Lord. It is inspiring, and important and part of God's plan, so we are to encourage them where and when we can. their work is not in vain, it is just a little different than they thought.
Love to all the WR family, and blessings on the World Racers at home and in the field. Once a Racer, always a Racer.
Steve J.
World Race Dad
Now, I know that there are many, many reason, and they all come from God. The Jan. 2009 Team are collectively posting their thoughts on this, so read up on what these inspired young people are saying. And I can tell you that those who go, come back better for it...at least the ones I know well from June '07. God has a strong hand in their lives, and while some would love to go back to Manila and work in the orphanage again, they are here in the US working and living and praying and helping and reaching out to those around them who need to hear the Word of the Lord. It is inspiring, and important and part of God's plan, so we are to encourage them where and when we can. their work is not in vain, it is just a little different than they thought.
Love to all the WR family, and blessings on the World Racers at home and in the field. Once a Racer, always a Racer.
Steve J.
World Race Dad
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The importance of blogs.
I've recently learned that I am not a very good listener.
My wife, Joy, has been telling me this for years, but I was not paying attention as I should have been, and missed her point entirely.
You see, I am a visual learner. I remember things that I see in writing. I love to read, and can recall details from reports, online articles, books and magazines clearly. I can not recall the name of the person I met at church this morning, but they had a great smile and I will remember the face.
From an article by a Chinese scholar named Ms. Jianying Lu, I learned, "Listening is an active process that requires attention to the speaker in order to appropriately react and respond." (Lu, 2005).
My listening is not very active, as I am concentrating on appropriate, polite reactions, nodding, smiling, and all the other conventional responses that are expected. Somehow the name just does not get retained. (If I get a business card, I remember forever.) Now in the business setting, this can be a crippling attribute. I can go to networking events, and heaven help me if I don't get a business card because I simply do not retain the name I should. This is something I must work on.
Blogging allows us to engage in conversations with certain aspects of a person's life, and with the identity that person chooses to employ. (Gurak, A. 2008). I am much more likely to remember their name, too.
Which is why I like World Race blogs. I can read and reread a blog whenever I want, and I retain the information much longer, and more accurately. There are usually good photos, too, of exotic locations that I will never see in person.
The ability to respond is just a great extra feature for me, too, so I can reach out to the World Race teams all over the world and let them know I am thinking abou them. I have heard that these responses are valuable, so I encourage each of you to do the same. You will be creating better mental health for those World Race kids we love.
So, go read a blog. You will learn something new, I promise. Beware, there may be references to unusual foods.
Reference:
Lu, J. 2005. The Lifestyle Inventory (LSI) as an Instrument for Improving Listening Skill, Sino-US English Teaching, May 2005, Volume 2, No. 5 (Serial No. 17).
Gurak, Laura J. 2008. The Psychology of Blogging, American Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 52, Number 1, pp.60-68.
My wife, Joy, has been telling me this for years, but I was not paying attention as I should have been, and missed her point entirely.
You see, I am a visual learner. I remember things that I see in writing. I love to read, and can recall details from reports, online articles, books and magazines clearly. I can not recall the name of the person I met at church this morning, but they had a great smile and I will remember the face.
From an article by a Chinese scholar named Ms. Jianying Lu, I learned, "Listening is an active process that requires attention to the speaker in order to appropriately react and respond." (Lu, 2005).
My listening is not very active, as I am concentrating on appropriate, polite reactions, nodding, smiling, and all the other conventional responses that are expected. Somehow the name just does not get retained. (If I get a business card, I remember forever.) Now in the business setting, this can be a crippling attribute. I can go to networking events, and heaven help me if I don't get a business card because I simply do not retain the name I should. This is something I must work on.
Blogging allows us to engage in conversations with certain aspects of a person's life, and with the identity that person chooses to employ. (Gurak, A. 2008). I am much more likely to remember their name, too.
Which is why I like World Race blogs. I can read and reread a blog whenever I want, and I retain the information much longer, and more accurately. There are usually good photos, too, of exotic locations that I will never see in person.
The ability to respond is just a great extra feature for me, too, so I can reach out to the World Race teams all over the world and let them know I am thinking abou them. I have heard that these responses are valuable, so I encourage each of you to do the same. You will be creating better mental health for those World Race kids we love.
So, go read a blog. You will learn something new, I promise. Beware, there may be references to unusual foods.
Reference:
Lu, J. 2005. The Lifestyle Inventory (LSI) as an Instrument for Improving Listening Skill, Sino-US English Teaching, May 2005, Volume 2, No. 5 (Serial No. 17).
Gurak, Laura J. 2008. The Psychology of Blogging, American Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 52, Number 1, pp.60-68.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
October '08 Racers Are on Their Way
I hope you are all familiar with the World Race. A program of Adventures in Mission, the World Race puts 20-Something kids out into the world to experience life as missionaries. They will have raised support funding from friends and neighbors for the trip. In return, those of us who stay at home expereince vicariously the new places and adventures and spiritual development the Racers experience.
World Race parents are a special breed. You see, we have put our loved ones out into the world, some with little or no experience, and hope that they thrive and prosper. When our daughter, Allison, went on her Race in 2007, we were very enxious for her and her team. That was our little (28) girl out there, and she knew nothing about Africa or Asia, except that there were lions and elephants. Her expereinces went well past animals, and that is another story for the future. For now, I want to deal with the parental issues.
First, learn to use and love Skype. This VOIP service is inexpensive and readily available to any web users anywhere.. The Racers might not have running or hot water in some places, but they could usually find internet connections. With Skype, we were able to talk with Allison at least once a week, using webcams and chat features. Honestly, we talked to her more than when she lived three hours away.
Second, get used to the appearance of non-organization. The Race is based on the premise that a way will be found to serve and travel and eat, so don't try to fret over details from home that they can solve on the ground. So many times, we just shrugged our shoulders, and let it go.
Three, read all the blogs. We learned what was going on from the team blogs that would appear randomly that would fill us in on ministry, trips, fun, meals and potties around the world. We usually began our days with a trip to the PC to see if there was anything new to read. The Racers are amazed that so many people are hanging on their every word. Alli loves to tell the story about her recent visit to a church in West Virgina where one of the pastors showed up with a Starbucks mint cappacino that she had written about in China. That was six or eight months prior, and the guy remembered! The point is, there will be many, many who read those postings and will respond. the flip side is to be sure to respond to as many of the posting as you can to reassure the Racers that someone they care about is reading their stuff.
Four, trust AIM. This past year has been a challenge to the organization and some of the Race teams, but in every case, their safety was paramount to AIM and every decision was made with the kids in mind. I suggest you read Seth's blog regularly, too. You can find it on the World Race website.
Five, love them, pray for them, and look forward to the day they get back. They will change this year in ways we can't predict. but we still love them in every way.
If you are a WR parent and have questions or soncerns, post them here and I will try to help.
Cheers,
Steve J.
World Race parents are a special breed. You see, we have put our loved ones out into the world, some with little or no experience, and hope that they thrive and prosper. When our daughter, Allison, went on her Race in 2007, we were very enxious for her and her team. That was our little (28) girl out there, and she knew nothing about Africa or Asia, except that there were lions and elephants. Her expereinces went well past animals, and that is another story for the future. For now, I want to deal with the parental issues.
First, learn to use and love Skype. This VOIP service is inexpensive and readily available to any web users anywhere.. The Racers might not have running or hot water in some places, but they could usually find internet connections. With Skype, we were able to talk with Allison at least once a week, using webcams and chat features. Honestly, we talked to her more than when she lived three hours away.
Second, get used to the appearance of non-organization. The Race is based on the premise that a way will be found to serve and travel and eat, so don't try to fret over details from home that they can solve on the ground. So many times, we just shrugged our shoulders, and let it go.
Three, read all the blogs. We learned what was going on from the team blogs that would appear randomly that would fill us in on ministry, trips, fun, meals and potties around the world. We usually began our days with a trip to the PC to see if there was anything new to read. The Racers are amazed that so many people are hanging on their every word. Alli loves to tell the story about her recent visit to a church in West Virgina where one of the pastors showed up with a Starbucks mint cappacino that she had written about in China. That was six or eight months prior, and the guy remembered! The point is, there will be many, many who read those postings and will respond. the flip side is to be sure to respond to as many of the posting as you can to reassure the Racers that someone they care about is reading their stuff.
Four, trust AIM. This past year has been a challenge to the organization and some of the Race teams, but in every case, their safety was paramount to AIM and every decision was made with the kids in mind. I suggest you read Seth's blog regularly, too. You can find it on the World Race website.
Five, love them, pray for them, and look forward to the day they get back. They will change this year in ways we can't predict. but we still love them in every way.
If you are a WR parent and have questions or soncerns, post them here and I will try to help.
Cheers,
Steve J.
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