Erin Davis...AS-IS

One week down two more to go. I am very thankful for weekends to just slow down and process. The week as a whole was AMAZING. We learned so much about how to deal with our emotions now, and the different emotions we will be encountering, we learned about expectations, ours, our support groups, family, friends, host cultures...etc. then with all those expectations in mind we where told to take off our name cards and in big letters next to our names we where to write AS-IS because we are coming into this human. We are not perfect, mistakes will be made, but we just have to do the best we can and keep going. Like at the store where you go down the isle of the 1/2 off products because they come AS-IS you know they are not perfect, and once you take it you can't return it. So I am going down to try and bring glory and honor to God and hopefully they won't try to return me! Conflict is another big one that we have been working on to see if we are sharks (its got to be my way) Teddy bears (you can have your way) turtles (i'll just run away from it all) or owls (maybe we can both win) My group found out we are runners, compromisers, and harmonizers, we don't really like conflict. We are also all in growth groups (aka small bible study groups) that meet to just focus on God and share during the week. Wednesdays are personal visits (kind of like therapy) to talk with a missionary one on one to ask whatever questions we may have or just to vent our hearts. It was a great way to decompress with everything coming in so fast. This weekend was beautiful and I got in lot of great hiking thanks to the Plattners carting me around with them. We tried to get into the red rock amphitheater to hike this afternoon after church but we could only hike around it because of the smashing pumpkins concert in the amphitheater, so as we hiked around we had some music to hike to! I hope you all have a most Wonderful week. i love you and miss you. be blessed and be a blessing -Erin-

Welcome to MTI

Hi Everyone, I just finished my first day of training and thought i would update you. I think the only way to describe it is INTENSE. They go deep and stay deep ripping you out of your comfort zone and opening your heart to give you the best possible training for the mission field. All our instructors are missionaries (as they put it )who have been bruised and beaten and are now here to share there experiences with us to help us learn. I am in the SPLICE program and that stands for
Spiritual Resources (bible studies, spiritual vitality, Sabbath/rest/soul care)
Personal Growth (Values, stress, grief/loss)
Lifestyle Adaption (MK realities, singleness issues, transition, lifestyle choices)
Interpersonal Skills (conflict, your true colors under stress, moral purity, hellos and goodbyes)
Cultural Adjustments (Crossing cultures, language)
Endurance/Enjoyment (expectations, paradox, praying around the world)

In this program there are 38 adults, 21 Children, 17 organizations represented and 19 different mission fields. GOD IS SO GOOD! Its great to come to a place where you all have the same calling, are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and can understand where they are coming from and they understand where you are at and what they are going through. ok I have homework to do so i wish you all a most WONDERFUL night. I love you.
be blessed and be a blessing -Erin-

Packing Up

Today I spent a big part of my day watching (while trying to stay out of the way) as they loaded the sea container (and my life here in central IL) up and sent it on its way. Reality really started to sink in as I watched my life all wrapped up on two wooden pallets get loaded up, the doors closed, and the next time I see it will be in Jamaica next month. As of 7 a.m. tomorrow morning the Hubers and myself will be driving out to Palmer Lake, CO to M.T.I. (Missionary Training Institute) for 3 weeks. I have no idea what to expect but i am excited and ready to learn as much as possible before going down. I learned today that depending on how we feel after training we can go down when we are ready. So instead of being moved down the 1st of Nov. it looks like we can get down there as early as Oct 20th. If you would Please pray as the Hubers, Plattners and I all head out to training for open minds and hearts, and that we would know if we are supposed to leave for Jamaica right after training or wait till Nov 1st. Thanks have a great weekend I love you all! Be blessed and be a blessing - Erin-