Unit 1 Objectives
- Continue with the orientation begun upon arrival, gaining a better understanding of your role and what is expected.
- Get settled into daily life.
Unit Length: about 4 weeks
Unit 1 Breakdown
Here is a suggested program that your facilitator can work through with you – you may think of ideas and resources that apply to your specific situation as well!
- Establish a Bible reading plan. If you don’t have one yet, Scripture Union has an online plan called Word Live. Journal your insights; and as you read, answer the following questions:
- How is God calling me to think differently?
- How is God re-ordering my affections, what I love?
- What is God calling me to do today, how can obey Him?
- Establish local prayer partner(s) whether with a teammate or someone else nearby.
- Read one of the suggested books on Spiritual Disciplines (under Resources).
Reflection/Accountability Questions:
- What’s bringing me life/refreshing my soul these days?
- Where is my spiritual nourishment coming from?
- What spiritual disciplines am I practicing regularly?
- What fruits of the Spirit seem to be evident or lacking in my life?
- What have I been learning about God, others and myself from my Bible reading?
- Discuss your weekly schedule with your facilitator during your One on One meeting. (see Resources for 1:1 expectations)
- Personal Care plan. Read PCP A short introduction to Member Care. Start watching the LMS training Layers of Care, using the worksheet as a guide (Resources).
- Explore writing your own Personal Development Plan, using this guideline or find others online.
- Become familiar with and discuss personal assessment resources. Ask your facilitator for others:
Reflection/Accountability Questions:
- What am I doing to keep healthy physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?
- What has culture stress meant for me? Who am I talking to about it?
- What am I learning about myself from my new experiences?
- How am I affirming, listening to, encouraging and respecting others?
- How am I demonstrating the priority of relationships over daily tasks?
- Become familiar with more aspects of the preferred language learning method and try it out
- Begin daily routine of language learning according to expectations you set with facilitator
- Record progress, issues, successes, questions, and hours in a lingua-culture learning notebook
Reflection/Accountability Questions (these can be answered in your lingua-culture learning notebook and discussed with your facilitator):
- Why am I learning this language, what is my motivation?
- How much time am I devoting to language learning each day? Each week?
- What community contacts have I made through practicing what I have learned?
- What progress am I making?
- What am I most excited about in lingua-culture learning? What seems to be the most difficult?
- Homestay (could also be done in Unit 2, if needed). The purpose of a homestay is to experience and learn first-hand a different culture and way of life. It is about helping you begin the process of becoming comfortable with living and being with the people in your host area from early on in your experience. A homestay could also possibly be done during a site visit, with the amount of time being determined together by you and your facilitator. Typical homestays have been 3 – 7 days, but could also extend up to a month, if desired. (Resources)
- Intentionally observe/make note of cultural differences and discuss what questions are appropriate to ask to learn more about your cultural context. (Homestay Ideas in Resources)
Reflection/Accountability Questions:
- What am I doing to actively seek out cross-cultural relationships and experiences?
- Who do I consider a friend in my host culture?
- How am I building relationships through gender appropriate ways?
- How am I actively seeking and acting upon cultural advice from local relationships?
- What do I find the most rewarding, and the most challenging about living in this new culture?
- Review organizational goals, visions, expectations, procedures.
- Learn about the different conferences and when they take place.
- Learn where to locate needed forms, and how to use them, ex Leave Requests, travel notifications, reviews, etc.
- Remember to send your regular updates to the organization’s offices.
- Read about Cultural Values and consider doing a Cultural IQ assessment.
Reflection/Accountability Questions:
- Are there any policies I don’t understand within the organization? Do I have any questions about the organization’s structure, values, or service principles?
- What have I learned about the other cultures of teammates?
- What common ground do I share with each teammate?
- In what ways am I honoring and showing respect for teammates’ cultures?
- Am I insisting on my own way? How open am I to doing things differently?
- What organizational values am I exhibiting?
- Learn about local fellowships and where you might get involved.
- Determine a schedule for when you will write update letters to prayer partners.
Reflection/Accountability Questions:
- How often am I praying for my local fellowship and its leadership?
- In what ways am I actively participating in my local fellowship?
- In what practical ways could I participate with the local fellowship to demonstrate the love of Christ to others?
- How am I communicating with and praying for my prayer partners?
- Discuss various methods/strategies for discipleship.
- Learn about discipleship methods that are being used locally.
Reflection/Accountability Questions:
- What does it look like to live out my faith effectively in a culturally appropriate way? How have I done this recently?
- How am I modelling Christ to those around me?
- What does it mean to be a servant of Jesus in my new culture?
By the end of this unit, the new member will have:
✔ Become more familiar with context, program and schedule
✔ Established daily habits and routines which include reflection and accountability
✔ Completed a Home Stay
✔ Committed to a language learning method and started to use it; at least 15-20 hrs/week