Week 7 Summary...

This week our speaker was Carol Boyd. She shared with us her wisdom on the topics of attachment and the foundations of life. Carol came with a lot of knowledge from research as well as her personal experience with adopting her daughter Fuxia, who has brittle bone disease, from China 9 years ago. Carol shared with us the importance of attachment for infants, adults, and adopted children. She also taught us about the “holding” technique and what it can do for the attachment process. We looked at symptoms of children with attachment disorders and reactive attachment issues and ways that a caregiver can work with the child who have them.

The most impacting information for me this week was how important a secure attachment is and the different ways to develop one. A new understanding I received this week on children is how important it is for a child to have an attachment to a primary caregiver and how more often then is diagnosed children often will have attachment issues as their root causes of behavioural problems.

This week in my community life I enjoyed spending more time with Elin and Jillian. I feel like I am working really well with Samuel on our Innocents Lost project. I am learning a lot from working with him and am really enjoying it. I have learned more about all the beautiful places to walk around here this week. I am continuing to love my walks with Jessica.

I am looking forward to having Matt Rawlins come and speak to us next week on Justice and the nature and character of God. I have that he is an amazing speaker so I am looking forward to hearing all he will share with us.

Week 6 Summary...

This week our speaker was Kimm Sickler. Our topic was Child Growth and Development. Kimm taught us on different developmental stages of a child, looking particularly at age 0 – 3 years old. We were given various resources to become familiar what a ‘typical’ development of a child at certain ages should be. We also looked at different theorists and their thoughts on a child’s development. We watched a national geographic video on the developmental stages of a baby in the womb. Every day, apart from one, Kimm gave us a reading to go over, scripture to look at and questions to ask and then respond to them in journal like entries.
The most impacting thing for me this week was Kimm’s presence. She radiated God’s love in everything she did. The excitement she got when talking about certain things in particular was absolutely inspirational. The journal responses were amazing times of thinking and reflecting on God’s character and His heart for the things He created and takes pleasure in. Coming back again and again to Joshua 3 was also very impacting because I do feel as though many of us are coming to a point where God is taking us on a path that we have never been that way before.
A new understanding that I came to this week is that I really can’t say that I believe something about another person, especially a child, which I don’t believe about myself. I realized things week that there are still things that I need to work on believing about myself that I know God believes about me, so that continues to be quite a process for me.
The questions that this week’s teachings brought up in me were on a couple of different things. This week made me wonder why I don’t journal more when I love doing it, and it helps me process a lot. I wonder what is stopping me. I will try and answer that question by trying to start doing it more and see where that takes me. The other questions were on thinking about how God sees me and what lies do I believe about myself. I am seeking out answers for those questions in prayer and really listening to His truths and thinking about how I can make them my truths as well.
This week I have had really good moments in community life and a lot of moments that I just really needed to be by myself and be quiet. I struggle with if that is ok or not and if I am finding a good balance. I think I am, but I still wonder about it sometimes. Jessica and I have been very dedicated to our walks and I love them. It feels so amazing to be more active and spending less time staring at my computer screen. The reality of how long I will be away from home for really started sinking in this week, so I have had some family, pets, and friends missing moments this week. For this upcoming week I want to try and spend a little bit more time with Elin and Jillian. They are wonderful girls, that during my times of “hibernation mode” I don’t spend enough time with them since they are not my roommates. I am looking forward to this upcoming week (like usual) with Carol Boyd and learning about attachment and the foundation of life.

Week 5 Summary...

This week was filled with 3 different speakers and a wonderful day off to do school work. On Tuesday Sydney … came to talk to us about refugees. He shared with us about the program he pioneered working with refugee children here in Switzerland. He also shared about his work in the United Nations. It was interesting to listen to his thoughts on his line of work. On Wednesday Ed Morales talked to us about our personal profile assignment. It was extremely helpful and thought provoking. For Thursday and Friday we had the wonderful pleasure of Eva Spangler sharing with us about art therapy. She had a lot of interesting facts and quotes to share, but it was her soft-spoken voice that so clearly expressed her heart that struck me the most. With Eva we also got to participate in hands on art activities, which was especially inspiring.

There were a couple things that impacted me the most and gave me new understandings this week. The first came at the end of Ed’s talk when he was talking about the path that God’s wants us to walk on is not a narrow path that we need to have a fear of falling off of. When he talked about how it is a wider path and God saying that he is going to bless you if you choose this decision, or that decision, really made me feel freer. Often times I have been so worried about what if I don’t figure it out exactly what God wants for me, but to know I have more freedom then trying to walk on a tight rope basically was an amazing feeling. Also the way Ed talked about God saying, “as long as you love Me and love your neighbour” helped things to really click for me this week in a lot of areas. The other things that impacted me were the art projects that we got to partake in with Eva. It was amazing to watch the different things that come up in our hearts while doing the art and then after with sharing it with each other as well.

One of the questions that this week’s teaching brought up came with part 3 of Eva’s drawing assignment to seek out what God is saying about our previous drawings and to draw that. My answer to that question came the same day. The first thing I pictured was a hand up to everything in the brokenness picture, as if to tell all of those things to stop. I was then reminded of a print I gave my friend a couple months back that portrayed a child safe resting in between two hands. As well I was reminded of something that had been spoken over me during my DTS. It was of a collection of bottles filled with tears and the words I cried too written on them.

This week was a good week. I was feeling much more like my self again, especially after Ed’s teaching. It is fun having a new roommate and I am glad Lindsay is here. It is interesting to see how dynamics in our room have slightly changed and everything her presence brings. I was supposed to go to Paris this weekend but because of a couple different things, it just didn’t work out (Side note: There was a guy on the train from Geneva to Gland that picked his nose the entire way). At first I was quite upset about it but it has turned out to be an ok thing. Jessica and I went on a 2 ½ hour walk today, which turned into a hike straight up a hill in the forest. We have committed to each other to walk daily if our schedules allow. I am looking forward to that time spent with her, being more active, and really just enjoying this gorgeous country that God has created.

I am looking forward to next week’s class on Child Growth and Development.

Janna...

This remarkable woman is Janna Moates. She is the Children at Risk School leader. The passion that she has for children, woman and families is absolutely inspirational. She has been a widow for close to 10 years now. She has two children, a boy and a girl who are both married. She has two grandchildren. She is one of the kindest people I have ever met. Janna is so easy to talk to and very open. She has also worked on the Kona, Hawaii YWAM base for a number of years but now calls Switzerland home. Her favourite role in life that she has got to "play" is ____.

The Morales...

This wonderful couple are two of my school leaders. Their names are Ed and Kay Morales. They have been married for 33 years. Together they have 3 daughters. Ed also has a son. They have 5 grandchildren. Normally they live in Hawaii on the YWAM Kona base. Kay is very creative and is working hard on redecorating the base here. It is turning out wonderfully! She has a disease called spinal muscular atrophy and she is no longer able to walk. She is a sweet, caring and very loving person. Ed is very wise and asks questions you would never even think to ask. He challenges all of us to think more. If Kay could be a paint colour, she would be red. If Ed could be a piece of furniture, he would be a valuable antique wooden chair.

Lindsay...

This smiley girl is Lindsay. She is 19 years old and from Washington, although her family currently resides in San Diego. She has an older sister and brother. Her brother is married and has a little girl. Lindsay is extremely intelligent, and talkative. She is a member of the Children at Risk School. She was here for the first two weeks and then had to go home for 3 weeks, but she came back on Monday and is now my roommate! Lindsay has an inspiring passion for learning languages and is very dedicated to becoming fluent in French during her time here. She is interested in the law side and political side of everything and will no doubt make a difference in this world. If Lindsay could be a type of fabric she would be cotton because she would like to be breathable and practical.

The Kamanzi family...

This is Mary and Method and their daughter Darlene. They live in Rwanda full time. Darlene is 9 years old. They have a 19-year-old daughter who is in University and a 17-year-old son who is finishing off high school at home. They are a wonderful addition to the Children at Risk School. They have been with us for close to two weeks now! They bring with them years of wisdom of working on the field in Rwanda. Mary and Method are an amazing example of what a Godly couple is like, for all of us here on the base. Darlene is fun and energetic. If Darlene could be a season she would like to be both winter and summer, because when it snows in the winter people would have fun and play with her and because people would enjoy her if she was the summer. If Mary could be a flower she would be a lavender. If Method could be a mode of transportation he would be a train. I can't wait to go to their country!

Samuel...

This is Samuel. Samuel is 24 years old and from Japan. He is in the Children at Risk School. His father is Japanese and his mother is French. Samuel has 1 sister and 2 brothers. Samuel brings such a unique aspect to our school as the only one from an Asian continent. He is incredibly gifted in working with kids. The little ones here on the base just love climbing on him and playing with him. Samuel speaks Japanese and French (which he only learned over the past 2 years). His English is also coming along very well. Samuel has a wonderful sense of humour and is incredibly funny. He loves playing pool and going swimming. If Samuel could only wear one colour of clothing for the rest of his life he would choose to wear yellow clothes.

Elin...

This is Elin. She is a wonderful 25 year old from Norway, with great English skills. Elin is also in the Children at Risk School. She is very funny and has a sweet natured personality. She is the oldest of four sisters. She is very talented with visual arts. Elin gives great massages. She also genuinely cares about how people are doing. Elin is one of Jillian’s roommates. We share stories of life, things that we are thinking about and things that are going on in our hearts and plenty of laughter. She is such a cool girl and a blessing to have around. If she could only eat one food for the rest of her life she would choose to eat a really good chocolate cake.

Jillian...

This is Jillian. She is a bubbly, 21 year old, from Michigan. She is in the Children at Risk School. Jillian comes from a family of 5 kids. She is the youngest. She has an adorable niece and a boyfriend named Nick. Jillian adds a fun dynamic to the class and always blesses you with a beautiful smile. She loves to laugh but has a gentle sensitive side to her as well. She is gifted in poetry and creative journaling. Jillian and I have good talks and love playing cards. She is an incredibly unique girl and special. If she could be an animal, she would like to be a penguin.

Rebecca...

I have decided to post pictures and a little bit about some of the people on the base here, both in my class and not. So let me start by introducing Rebecca...

Rebecca is 22 years old. She is my roomate and also in the Children at Risk School. She is from the Swiss-German part of Switzerland, but has wonderful English skills. She is musically gifted in singing and playing the guitar. She has a passion for working with child soldiers. Rebecca has twin fourteen year old sisters and a three year old brother. She used to work in a chocolate factory. If she could be a chocolate, she would be the kind with the bubbles in it. Her favourite place she has ever been in the world is South Africa. Rebecca likes to be in bed early (so I am learning to go to bed earlier as well) and she tends to talk to me in Swiss-German in her sleep. She is becoming a really good friend of mine!

Week 4 Summary...

This past week we had Ray and Joy Thomas come and teach us on HIV/AIDS and grief counselling for children. Ray gave us the facts on HIV/AIDS. He shared with us the statistics of the worldwide numbers of people who are infected and affected with HIV/AIDS. We learned about the ways HIV/AIDS is transmitted and about anti-retroviral drugs. Ray also shared with us about kingdom sexuality. Joy taught on how HIV/AIDS is a family disease and how to help people deal with the effects of HIV/AIDS in their family and community. Joy talked about how to help children deal with death and grief that they often experience as a result of HIV/AIDS. With Joy we also learned about play therapy and got to experiment with it as well.

The most impacting information for me this week was learning about the lack of HIV/AIDS education that is really being spread in Africa. I know there is a lot of information being taught but because of the huge stigma of having it and how many little villages there are, it is not enough. A new revelation that I got this week was about how many more teachings on HIV/AIDS need to be out there, and that maybe I might have a part in teaching about HIV/AIDS.

I was really challenged this week by Ray’s Thursday night teaching about HIV/AIDS and the possibilities of God permitting, sending, and withdrawing. I will continue to think on these things and get to know God’s character truthfully through the scriptures to come to a conclusion on what I think about what Ray was talking about.

Since about Wednesday of this week, internally, I have felt… off. I am not sure why and have not been able to fully think through all the things going on inside me this week. I was much more introverted this week then usual. Sometimes I wonder if I really am more introverted and just act like an extrovert or if I maybe am just a balance of both. I was able to work with a number of the SCF students this week on their shorts stories for their author’s night. I felt very blessed to have English as a first language, this week especially. My work duty had to be delayed/switched twice this week. I feel like the way I handled both of the situations were very good. This week I learned about the four calf’s on the farm here. The Leaky girls took me to visit them today. I love living here, with farmland and hills all around.

I am looking forward to this up coming week. Monday is going to be such a blessing to have a day off and just get work done, and I am sure the other speakers during the other days will be great. Also I am looking forward to Lindsay finally coming back, having her as a roommate and our class finally being together!