CCMI Brussels, Belgium: Week One

Well I've finished my first five days or so at my training in Belgium. Going into this training I was totally in task mode just hoping I could finish everything involved in moving out of my house and getting ready for my renter, plus squeezing in precious times with friends that I missed seeing from being gone in Minnesota for two weeks. I literally was throwing stuff in my two suitcases and praying that things like my hair mousse and my cardigans and my scarf made it in there and not in some box that ended up elsewhere. I felt really spent. The flight over and everything was uneventful, but, it was awesome to find out that fellow trainees James & Debbie McCormick and Rachel Snider were on my flight. Debbie and I worked in the MTW office together a while back, so I was really excited to see her again and to get to know her husband who is a fellow counselor. We met up with a bunch of others from our group at baggage claim. Total there are 12 MTW missionaries here serving in East Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, Eastern Europe, and one woman who will be in the Appalachia area of the US.

I didn't think I had really any expectations going in, but then as I've settled in I've realized that maybe this training is going differently (not badly, just differently) than I thought. One thing that has totally caught me off guard for some reason is that a big part of this training (it's sort of implied you realize once you're here) is getting to know your way around Brussels, getting to know the Belgian people, and setting up your ministry assignment. The only super structured time is from 8:30-12:30 each weekday morning when we have worship, devotional, and an educational lesson on something that will be valuable to know in learning how to live in another culture on a new team of people. In the afternoons and on weekends you are allowed to build relationships with the people you meet at your ministry assignment, which for me is with a Persian (think Iran) church here in Brussels, complete your cross-cultural assignments (journals and ethnographies) and then you are allowed to plan your free time to learn Brussels. Wow. So basically it's totally like being a missionary but assigned to Belgium, because we do have some structure and ideas of what to do and how to live here, but a lot of it is up to you to figure out how to get around, what to do, what is the most important way to learn your culture and people and how to prioritize your time.

Fortunately doing this all in Brussels is way easier than it will be to do in Ethiopia, I suspect. For example, public transportation is readily available, you can drink the water and have access to fast internet, the Belgian people are very friendly and kind if you ask for help, and A LOT of people know English well. But, it's still hard learning your way around a foreign country. For example, after three relatively easy days of figuring out the train schedule and riding the train to/from Brussels Centre, three of us completely missed our train this afternoon because we didn't hear the announcement in French that our train was now arriving on a different track. We didn't know that could happen- so far the posted track on the schedule you look at initially has been where the train ends up to get you. Because of that what should have taken us about 10 minutes in waiting turned into 40 when we had to wait for a new train to come. There's other little things, which has led to tiredness and withdrawing for me, like learning how to be around a new set of people and personalities, and learning what the routine is here and what's expected, while still adjusting to the time change, etc.

I really didn't think this would be a challenge. I am glad God is humbling me and it will be interesting to see what he has in store. Sunday afternoon will be our first time going to the Persian church (the sermon will be in French) and my prayer is that I can make some good connections with Persian women while I'm here, and also my prayer is that this training will help me to adjust my perspective to my "new" life coming up, which will be living full-time in another culture {africa!!!}

I'm likely laughing at something Debbie just said

I about fell out of my chair when I found out they have Coke Zero here

This is a part of the "exercise room" at the OM Centre where we're staying. This bike had to be from the early 70's, and definitely was a direct replica of someone very special who also exercised using this to stay healthy while living in a hatch...

My team who will be with me at the Persian church ministry assignment, except for Ellie (second from left) who is at the Scottish church. In this pic is Rachel, Ellie, James, Debbie, Megan (holding Kyle), Andrew, and me.