From our archived blog:
We let you know while we are at Equip that it was intense. It's been hard to say much more than that before now, because it was.... well.... intense. Intense isn't always a negative word. Equip was intensely challenging. It was also intensely encouraging, and intensely helpful to us!
We were challenged....
- ....to step outside our comfort zone, and do things that don't come easily to us. For both of us, this included public speaking. For Melissa specifically, it included allowing others to handle the girls' schooling, and the boys care during the day.
- ...to absorb lots of wonderful tools in a relatively short period of time. We learned about many things that will be helpful to us as new Wycliffe members. We are thankful to have lots of notes on our computer, because we need them to remember everything!
- ...to keep up a busy schedule, which oddly enough isn't that different from the pace of life we are living day to day after getting home!
That's me just a few hours into our training - and it's a pretty good picture of how we felt at times!
We were encouraged....
- ...as we saw that God created us, knows our strengths and weaknesses, and will provide everything we need to accomplish what He has called us to do. Even public speaking!
- ....as we experienced beautiful Christian community. We found that while our children are entrusted to us in a special way as parents, God can use the gifts and talents of others to give them things that sometimes we can't. This was illustrated perfectly in the way that the community encouraged and challenged Makaylah in her need to start walking on her healing leg. All of the children experienced wonderful care, and genuine love and interest from not only the "official" childcare staff, but all the Equip staff and Equip participants.
Speaking at EnterMission, a gathering for all the staff at Orlando headquarters - a few hundred people.... And experiencing God's amazing peace.
Community.
We were helped....
- ...to learn more about what it means to be members of Wycliffe, and the wonderful legacy that the organization has.
- ....to gain experience in how to effectively share about the great need for Bible translation around the word.
Practicing some tools.
Thank you all again for all your prayers, encouragement, and financial partnership to enable us to attend Equip. It was a life changing experience, and we know God is going to continue to use the many things He taught us there as we continue this journey.
The kids outside our Equip apartment door.