Before all you burger gurus go into a panic, yes, we do have access to mustard out here in the outskirts of Siberia… yet for some reason it has evaded us up to this point. One thing that is not in short supply on the other hand is mayonnaise! Which thanks to my helpful Russian counterparts, has become a much more involved ingredient in my daily dietary needs… I can sense your jealousy; my heart goes out to you.
All joking aside though, I thought all of you wonderful people might enjoy a touch of insight into what most of my weeks thus far have consisted of. In DTS , the first phase of our adventure involves roughly 12 weeks of lectures led by colorful characters from all around the world; all of which have a specific focus intended to open our eyes to the world around us, inform us of the finer points of life and work as a missionary, as well as just encourage character growth in general. I recognize that’s a fairly broad summary, but at the rate we are covering topics I’d be hard pressed to flesh out a single week! For instance, this last week we enjoyed the company of the one and only Kelly Hodikoff who was providing us with a deeper understanding of “Biblical Worldview”. An incredible week to say the least, oddly enough… one of the most profound messages behind his teaching was also one of the most simple – if we are called to be salt and light in the world today, how long has it taken us to recognize the spiritual value of callings such as business, media, and even politics in contrast to that of direct ministry… or have we? How is it that we find ourselves ensnared by such a subtle sense of dualism? These individuals are called to the urgency of the Great Commission as well, and in many cases have been blessed with an insight that fulfills a unique role otherwise left unattended. We must continue to strive to realize the potential of the entire body of Christ in order to truly find ourselves within the sights of the Great Commission, together we have been graced with the means to disciple all nations.
