Photo Journal - Mission Training International (MTI) in CO - the first 2 weeks

We made it to Colorado, and we have gone through over 2 weeks of classes now at MTI. We have been encouraged, challenged, refreshed, girded up, and reinvigorated. There has been an intentional focus on prayer; thankfulness; humility; language/cultural learning philosophy; and the spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health of our entire family.

MTI’s greatest focus is prepping missionaries to be the most effective, sustainable global workers and ambassadors for Christ they can possibly be. We already feel like our children, marriage, attitudes, and expectations are better prepared for a healthy time overseas.

I could make more lists (with yet more semicolons) of all our experiences, but instead here are some photos of our first two weeks.

On our way to CO!

Phonetics class, training our mouths to make brand new sounds (beyond the 44 in English) using our handy see-through face shield.

Ransom enjoys air hockey during break times.

An example of Gideon’s class focus over a week, preparing him for a cross-cutural life on the mission field.

An example of Ransom’s class focus for a day, diving a little deeper into different types of communication that can happen across cultures.

A Third Culture Kid (TCK) illustration: A life spent between Yellow and Blue cultures generates a green person who isn’t blue, nor yellow. Prepping for processing questions of belonging, such as “Where is home?” and “Who are my people?”

We took a couple quick trips during the weekend to explore parts of Garden of the Gods. Beautiful place.

More Garden of the Gods. A reminder that God loves beauty.

Our group practicing new language learning methods using Mandarin as the example language.

MTI stresses the analogy that language learning requires similar drive, ownership, and initiative that an entrepreneur needs to start a new business. This is our “language learning business”.

The 4 categories of skills utilized in language learning, and how a child (and a “strategic adult”) approaches each of them in beginning stages of learning.

Shepherd is taking some of his first assisted steps here. He is very excited about it.