Well, we finished our first week at the Missionary Training Center, and all it did was pump me up about this whole year and a half. If you can't tell already, this is not Jill writing today =) it's BJ!
Well, we have basically just gotten an orientation/overview to the program here. Above is a crazy chart of our first semester courses... good luck trying to read it all! It shows that we will be taking courses in Foundational Bible Teaching, Culture and Language Acquisition, Worldview Analysis, Phonetics, Teamwork, and much more! This is all in the first semester!
Well, I am really pumped about the department I am getting to work in this semester. So, every afternoon all the students (except mothers) have a work assignment, and for mine I get to work in the Missionary Technology department. SO AWESOME. This is where they make solar panel systems, water filtration systems, fans, lights... pretty much everything a tribal missionary needs! I will be learning all of this stuff! Yeah!!! Boo yah!
Stay tuned, everybody. We will be updating again soon...
Then we went on to spend time in Bella Vista, AR. It was really nice getting to relax and spend time with BJ's family, friends, and our sending church! We were also well fed, as always! Michelle got us hooked on another show (she's the one to blame for our Chuck obsession). We watched all of season 1 and 2 of Make It Or Break IT! It's a gymnastics show, so you know that's right up my ally! I hope it comes back next season...it's not looking like it :(
Our next vacation spot was Branson, MO with my family! Some people might think...Branson...that's for old people (sorry Grandma)!! It's not though. It really can be fun. Our condo was really nice. We basically went swimming every day and played games with the family! It was wild and crazy! Thanks mom and Tony for the vacation.
The last place we went was Oklahoma City, OK. It's hard to be the last stop on our journey because we have the feeling of longing to be home, but really looking forward to seeing family. We had such a great time here. We mainly spent time with my dad and grandma in the afternoons, and then parents and family in the evenings! We even had our first annual Graham family reunion. It was awesome that almost (sorry Hoopers) all of my family could get together with a phone call the week of! They are so blessed to be so close in distance!
So, here we are...back in Roach, MO! Back home!! Olivia is happy, BJ is happy, and I am happy! We are diving into orientation tomorrow for our Missionary Training. It's crazy that all of our talk of excitement for the training is finally here!! Please pray for us that God uses this year and a 1/2 to really teach us His character and skills for His ministry. We are planning to go overseas in a couple years and really want God to use this training to equip us! Also, please pray that the Lord provides for us financially. We are not able to have jobs, but He is already blessing us in ways we could have never imagined. Please pray for God to make that possible by bringing us partners that are excited to be a part of what God is going to do...which is, Lord willing, bring a Bible and mature church to a people group that have not heard!