Disorientation

Marhaba!

Our first 3 1/2 weeks have been spent in orientation....make that disorientation! It's hard to fully describe how so much learning, experience, and conversation can make one feel like she knows so little, but that's just what's happened! Let me explain a little bit:

During stateside orientation, the other 56 YAGM and I spent a full week exploring what it means to be a Young Adult in Global Mission-how to speak truth honestly and authentically, how to enter a new culture & be the stranger, how to share stories and build relationships, and more so than anything, how to live our lives in a way that reflects the love of God to all those we encounter--our host communities, each other, and anyone & everyone else! Our time in Chicago was both overwhelming and life-giving. In some ways, it was hard to still be so close to home while knowing that our host communities were waiting for us to arrive even as our families and friends were sending us off. In spite of our restlessness, it was SO wonderful to be together & to build community with all of our fellow YAGM before being scattered throughout this vast and beautiful world! We played, discussed, learned, worshiped, and rested in anticipation of all that the days ahead might bring. 

Upon arriving here after our loooonnnnggg journey, the JWB crew immediately embarked on a whirlwind of orientation....or further disorientation! All of us came into this with questions and curiosities, and I think it's safe to say that list of wonderings has only continued to grow! As we've taken tours, explored our new cities, met host families, learned about life and the political situation here, the six of us have entered into a place of questions. Simple questions of where we might catch the bus or how many shekels it costs to buy pita and hummus were coupled with questions on interfaith, how to interact with our host families, how to navigate the language barrier and so many more...

We have had intentional time together with our FABULOUS country coordinators where we've been able to pose these questions, to ponder the impossible queries, to laugh and to build community. What a gift. Beyond that though, our group of 8 (6 YAGM and Jeff and Julie) has really come to rely on one another--as one of my fellow JWB ladies said, we're kind of all each other has here! Which is sort of true; we are all held in love, prayer, support and encouragement by our loved ones at home. Here though, we have to depend on one another: We are all very blonde (everyone without black hair is blonde here....and in all truthfulness, my hair is getting lighter by the day!) strangers, with very little Arabic training or knowledge of our new cities. We need each other!

New friends. Big kid jobs. Language barriers. New (DELICIOUS!) foods to taste. A culture to explore. Relationships to build. Stories to share. So many questions.

The adventure has begun and we are completely disoriented. What a blessing that is.