Low-Tech Technological Communication Skills
Yeah, so, that's probably not really a term for anything, but I'll explain.
Something interesting that I've noticed over the past 2+ years of living in Queretaro is the way we communicate with one another. Pretty much everyone over the age of 12 has a cell phone here, and that's been a useful tool for me ever since I got here. Contacting youth group students, friends to go to lunch with, Jean Paul at work, and many other different people is most easily and cost-effectively done by text-messaging. My phone company has 10 cent messages (USD) to all cell phones in Mexico, and I have a pay-as-you-go plan, so that works out pretty cheap for me. I can remind all my college girls about the sunday evening meetings all at once and in about 1 minute.
Another great communication tool for college students is the use of Facebook and other social networking internet sites. It's quicker and funner than emails, free, and can be done at any time of the day or night. Some of my friends even receive Facebook messages on their cell phones! In planning an event, we can invite many friends all at once through Facebook, and they are even reminded about the event shortly before it starts. It's crazy.
I definitely prefer talking in person with other people to texting and Facebooking, but you gotta use the means of communication that those you are trying to reach use! And through those means, you can set up actual times to meet in person with them! :)
Showing posts with label Ministry Skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ministry Skills. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, June 11, 2007
Useful Missionary Skills - Part Two
Mom Skills
Ok, for those of you who just spit your Diet Coke out through your nose when you laughed after reading the words "mom skills" in my blog, let me explain...
This week I've had to be a mom to many people. Thankfully, these people all happen to be over the age of 20 (not quite ready for the little folks yet!!) As mentioned in my previous blog entry, we received two new interns a week ago, and also had 14 people from NPCC here this past week. I knew that this week would be in no way a normal week, but I was a little surprised (in a good way though!) at how it turned out!
Let me sum up the whole "mom" thing for you:
Wednesday night, I was walking around the Centro with some other gringos, enjoying the night and enjoying actually being with english speakers that are my age. My phone rang, and I saw that it was Helena (an intern who's been with us for 4 months now), so I figured I should answer it. It was actually Marly on the phone (a new intern) telling me that she was sick. I asked her the basic "stomach sickness" questions that I always ask, not even thinking about the fact that I had 5 other young adults with me who are not accostomed to stomach sicknesses. I had to walk away from them when they started dying of laughter from hearing my end of the conversation, so Marly wouldn't hear them laugh. Then Elise, the other new intern, got on the phone and told me that the couple that she is living with had left in the middle of the night before to go to Mexico City because Lucero's (the wife of the family) dad was dying. Elise didn't know if she should stay at the house, or find another place to stay or what. And quite frankly, neither did I.
I continued through the next day contacting Elise's Mexican family by phone to see what was up, and with Marly to see how she was doing, and that afternoon, Wyndi, a girl from NPCC got sick. I am getting rather good at knowing symptoms of minor stomach illnesses, so we went to the pharmacy and got the appropriate medicines. That night, Lindsey also became sick. I went home, and immediately contacted Marly to see if she was feeling better, and I felt bad for not having gone to visit her during the day. Elise was getting desperate about getting a new place to stay, and I still had no answer for her, so I set up a time to meet with her Friday morning. As soon as I hung up with Elise, the phone rang AGAIN, and it was my friend Ana crying, saying that she really needed to talk with me. So we set up a time to meet Friday, before the meeting with Elise.
I woke up on friday morning feeling rather sick to my stomach, but when you are playing mom to all these people, you just can't be sick yourself. So I met with Ana and we talked, cried, and prayed for a good two hours. I showed up late to meet with Elise, but we got things a little more worked out with her situation. By this time, half the NPCC team was sick, and I wasn't feeling any better myself.
Needless to say, it was a long week, and I'm thankful that I never will actually be a mom all of a sudden to 5 ladies between 20 and 29 years old (I'm only 26!!). All but 4 of the Atlanta team got sick before they left on monday morning, Marly is still sick, and Elise's mexican family has returned - the dad is still alive, but in intensive care, and I checked myself in to see Dr. Jessica at the "Self-Medication Clinic" (in other words, I've not gone to the doctor, just bought what I know I need at the pharmacy).
I wonder if this is somewhat close to what it's like to be a mom - trying to take care of several people while you are not feeling well and are not getting any sleep either. By the way, I really hope this whole story doesn't come across as whiney sounding. I really enjoy having the team here working at the church (more to come on the NPCC team, with PICTURES!) and God has really pulled me though by giving me just enough strength for what I'll need in any given day!
Anyhow, I'm off to take my meds, and get a few hours of sleep before taking Marly to see another doctor...
Ok, for those of you who just spit your Diet Coke out through your nose when you laughed after reading the words "mom skills" in my blog, let me explain...
This week I've had to be a mom to many people. Thankfully, these people all happen to be over the age of 20 (not quite ready for the little folks yet!!) As mentioned in my previous blog entry, we received two new interns a week ago, and also had 14 people from NPCC here this past week. I knew that this week would be in no way a normal week, but I was a little surprised (in a good way though!) at how it turned out!
Let me sum up the whole "mom" thing for you:
Wednesday night, I was walking around the Centro with some other gringos, enjoying the night and enjoying actually being with english speakers that are my age. My phone rang, and I saw that it was Helena (an intern who's been with us for 4 months now), so I figured I should answer it. It was actually Marly on the phone (a new intern) telling me that she was sick. I asked her the basic "stomach sickness" questions that I always ask, not even thinking about the fact that I had 5 other young adults with me who are not accostomed to stomach sicknesses. I had to walk away from them when they started dying of laughter from hearing my end of the conversation, so Marly wouldn't hear them laugh. Then Elise, the other new intern, got on the phone and told me that the couple that she is living with had left in the middle of the night before to go to Mexico City because Lucero's (the wife of the family) dad was dying. Elise didn't know if she should stay at the house, or find another place to stay or what. And quite frankly, neither did I.
I continued through the next day contacting Elise's Mexican family by phone to see what was up, and with Marly to see how she was doing, and that afternoon, Wyndi, a girl from NPCC got sick. I am getting rather good at knowing symptoms of minor stomach illnesses, so we went to the pharmacy and got the appropriate medicines. That night, Lindsey also became sick. I went home, and immediately contacted Marly to see if she was feeling better, and I felt bad for not having gone to visit her during the day. Elise was getting desperate about getting a new place to stay, and I still had no answer for her, so I set up a time to meet with her Friday morning. As soon as I hung up with Elise, the phone rang AGAIN, and it was my friend Ana crying, saying that she really needed to talk with me. So we set up a time to meet Friday, before the meeting with Elise.
I woke up on friday morning feeling rather sick to my stomach, but when you are playing mom to all these people, you just can't be sick yourself. So I met with Ana and we talked, cried, and prayed for a good two hours. I showed up late to meet with Elise, but we got things a little more worked out with her situation. By this time, half the NPCC team was sick, and I wasn't feeling any better myself.
Needless to say, it was a long week, and I'm thankful that I never will actually be a mom all of a sudden to 5 ladies between 20 and 29 years old (I'm only 26!!). All but 4 of the Atlanta team got sick before they left on monday morning, Marly is still sick, and Elise's mexican family has returned - the dad is still alive, but in intensive care, and I checked myself in to see Dr. Jessica at the "Self-Medication Clinic" (in other words, I've not gone to the doctor, just bought what I know I need at the pharmacy).
I wonder if this is somewhat close to what it's like to be a mom - trying to take care of several people while you are not feeling well and are not getting any sleep either. By the way, I really hope this whole story doesn't come across as whiney sounding. I really enjoy having the team here working at the church (more to come on the NPCC team, with PICTURES!) and God has really pulled me though by giving me just enough strength for what I'll need in any given day!
Anyhow, I'm off to take my meds, and get a few hours of sleep before taking Marly to see another doctor...
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Useful Missionary Skills - Part One
Crafts
Crafts can be a way to get to know people and to encourage people. Who would've guessed that making cards from paper could be a part of ministry?! I've always enjoyed making cards and other things from rubber stamps, stickers, and cool paper. I've found that here, people are a lot more likely to come to an event if they receive a personal invitation. So, to get to know my college girls (from small group) better, we are going to go to a new cafe together this thursday. I decided to make invitations, as it is more personal and easier to remember than intiving by work of mouth. We'll see how the turn out is on thursday! But the girls did seem happy to receive invitations that were hand made and personal! Here are the invitations before actually writing the event, location, date, etc.
Crafts can be a way to get to know people and to encourage people. Who would've guessed that making cards from paper could be a part of ministry?! I've always enjoyed making cards and other things from rubber stamps, stickers, and cool paper. I've found that here, people are a lot more likely to come to an event if they receive a personal invitation. So, to get to know my college girls (from small group) better, we are going to go to a new cafe together this thursday. I decided to make invitations, as it is more personal and easier to remember than intiving by work of mouth. We'll see how the turn out is on thursday! But the girls did seem happy to receive invitations that were hand made and personal! Here are the invitations before actually writing the event, location, date, etc.
Rose makes really neat earrings, and had a once a week class on making earrings for college girls at Global Grounds. There wasn't a big turnout, but this is something that girls are interested in (EVERYONE wears earrings here all the time!), and Rose used it as a way to get to know girls in a casual setting.
Keep looking for blog posts about odd skills that can be useful in ministry!!
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