Orientation

From July 28-August 4th, Kyle and I (along with the other VMMers) spent time in Pittsburgh orienting to VMM, as well as having broader conversations about living abroad, culture shock, safety, relationships, and self-care. We learned a lot from this experience, but the best part was definitely getting to know our fellow missioners who will be living in Managua, Nicaragua. About a 3 hour bus ride from us. Natasha Hansen and Clare Morrison will be working at community center in the capital city. Their blog can be found here: https://bataholavolunteers.wordpress.com/

While we all come from diverse backgrounds, orientation proved to be a great time to get to know one another and hear about how we came to VMM. Moving to another country is scary, but having these wonderful ladies as a part of our community is a huge part of why we are excited to be in Nicaragua!

Talking with our VMM director, board member and in-country coordinator was also helpful in getting us excited for our next 2 years with VMM. Our values and goals line up with what VMM is all about, and we are feeling very reassured that this is exactly where we need to be and where we have been called to serve. Here are a few highlights about VMM that really stuck with us during orientation. This is information from the spirit and lifestyle handbook written by Edwina Gateley-the founder of VMM:

• "Full and active involvement in the church's life and mission" INVOLVEMENT
• "We are first called and moved by the very love that lives within us...The love of Christ overwhelms us...2 Cor. 5:15"
• "We have an urgent obligation to take Christ seriously enough to share his mission of human liberation, justice and dignity with others, we are, therefore, sharers of the good news through witness and service. It is only through the way we live, love and serve that we can truly witness to the Christ who served, and invited us to do likewise" showing love through the way we live our lives.
• "We wish to challenge and dissolve the barriers that divide...we stand for oneness in the body of Christ"
• "...this mission cannot be a temporary thing...can be nothing less than a way of life" we are all missioners in our daily lives
• "We take the gospel seriously, we must live it"
• "...We know that God is with us and will not abandon us"
• "We do not separate our mission as Christians from our day-to-day life" 
• "We recognize that we need each other. We are community based movement..."
• "Christ was available to all and reached out to the poor, the sick and the rejected. His mission is now ours. It is a call to be wherever there is injustice of any kind."
• "It is not simply a matter of handing out money, food, or equipment, it calls for more than that. Our response it to share who we are, as well as what we have" Sustainable impacts
• "We live with the people. We work with the people. We rejoice with the people. We become part of the people. Our sharing becomes a journey we walk together..." Accompaniment
• "We may never see the results of our work" An important reminder!
• "We are aware that through our service, we receive far more than we are able to give" Reverse Mission

The word involvement comes up often through this guide, and this is a key word for me. I want to be INVOLVED. In my community, with my service, and in relationships I have built and will build. You can read the full version of the spirit and lifestyle here: http://vmmusa.org/resources/publications/spirit-and-lifestyle/

Another part of orientation was talking about our purpose. We were encouraged to write purpose statements to reflect on during the week, but also to take with us to remind us why we are doing this work. This was a meaningful time for me, because I felt very distracted from this topic in Indiana around the flurry of packing, paperwork and seeing friends a family. This was truly a great thing to reflect on before we officially left the country. As we refine our statements, I will post them on our blog so that you, our community, can also help us remember our purpose! Especially through the inevitable hard times!

This is our VMM group! From left to right.

Front: Clare (missioner). Kyle (missioner)

Middle: Alli (Missioner), Natasha (Missioner), Sister Susan (Board member)

Back: Joe (in-country coordinator), Vic (director), Julie (conversation facilitator for orientation)

Here's our group of missioners. There are only 4 of us with VMM, but at the end of the week we were joined by a few other similar volunteer groups to talk about more general topics such as; relationships. self-care and purpose!

We visited a brewery in a church for dinner one evening.

Overall, a great with lots of personal and group reflection. We were thankful for this opportunity to slow down and reconnect, but are very excited to be in Nicaragua!

Love,
Alli