Colorado

So, phase 4 of our year in the States has begun.  Phase 1 was Nashville, phase 2 Phoenix, phase 3 Michigan, and now, Colorado.  Our family is here for six weeks attending some missionary training sessions at a place called MTI (Mission Training International), just north of Colorado Springs.  We are spending three weeks doing cross-cultural training, have a week off, then two weeks of language acquisition techniques (how to learn a language).

We've finished our first week of the cross cultural studies, and so far it has been good.  There were some questions about if we needed three weeks of this after living cross culturally in Kenya for 2 yrs, but so far I would say that it has been really good.  We're in the class along with about 30 other adults, most of whom have not served long term on the field, going to 15 different countries with 16 different agencies...aged just out of college to retirement age.  The sessions are on things like conflict (and finding our conflict styles), lifestyle, building relationships, becoming aware of our own culture, etc.

Maggie has also been attending her own "school" with other 2 and 3 yr olds, learning lessons about expressing her feelings and being part of God's creation.  Very sweet.  Ben likes the nursery. :)  It has been nice to settle in to one place and unpack all of our stuff into the dressers provided.  Highlights include the train tracks by our window (really, it's not too loud and the kids are totally fascinated), a constant supply of hot beverages from the dispenser by the kitchen, and the great friends we are making, as well as Ben learning how to walk!  Hopefully more to come from this "SPLICE" class.