Lookin' for the Beary fat Bears!

Training camp is now in the ‘full swing’ of things. We were running around Calgary yesterday trying to find team outfits for this year (minus the ones that we will get in India). It’s been good being back on team. Very different… but good! I’ve been used to 5 other people on a team with me (team of 6) for the last 2 years, and with that, familiar people on my team. Now there’s new faces, new stories, and a team exactly double the size. There are 12 including myself. 8 girls, 4 guys. It makes great for the statistic books that say that for every guy on the mission field, there are 3 girls. I think that’s right anyways… lol… it’s been a while since I took the classes here.

This last bit has been particularly stretching for me because of the musical diversity here as far as experience goes. There are people here who could be teaching guitar or piano… or vocals… and there are some who don’t play anything and don’t sing anything. All of them want to learn and soak up as much as they can, lol. It’s tiring teaching stuff, but wow, it’s really worth it.
One of the guys that I’ve been teaching a lot of things to is Dillon from Montana. We met him both years that we went down to the States. He’s wanted to come on VTI for about 8 years and so for him to be here and wake up in Canada, learning about how to share his faith through the arts is a living dream come true. The kind of passion that radiates from him is catchy, and people like that make me really love doing what I’m doing.
In this next month and a half we’ll be learning some ‘canned’ program material and practicing all the facets therein. Drama, Music, Art, Speaking, Illusions, and good ol’ Children’s action songs! :D On that note, of learning stuff, I learned a new guitar strum! I’m not positive of the name of it, but it sounds pretty trippy. It’s like combining drums’ rhythm and strumming with it. Weird. Took a good 2 hours just to do it right. *sigh* I hope you all get to hear it sometime to actual Hindi words! :D
It’s strange trying to tell you everything that’s been going on because it doesn’t feel like we’ve done much…. But that’s just because we’ve been going so fast that I don’t remember much of what happened past a day or two ago. Time just keeps flying.
I’ve been trying to write some songs again a bit. While they’re learning some of things that us ‘experienced’ team members have already learned, I have a little free time. Time to write this, time to sing… time to practice… so much time that gets eaten up by all the things I should do… need to do… should have done… practical things… thoughtful things… *whew* lol… it’s true… there are never enough hours in the day.
We have had some chances to goof around and expend some energy doing creative games and activites. Luke (from the Artists in Residence program here at VTI) and myself just did a scavenger hunt a day or two ago. Lol… we got them to take pictures of their team doing all kinds of strange things. Lol… I’ll try to include a pic or two on the blog here… ^_^


For those just tuning in, or for those who have been following my adventures for a while, my email is still: encaitar777@yahoo.com You can get a hold of Karina or I through that pretty easy. Thank you all for your prayers and notes and visits and lol, thanks Grandma for remembering Karina’s birthday! That was a blast for her… oh, lol… and Mom too! For calling and singing in the morning and making sure to check up on Karina and Nathan and Myself and everything…  Feel free to call again sometime!

Please keep praying that God protects our team and helps us to grow. I think pretty much everyone here has a passion to see Jesus move through the people we meet… here, Canada, USA, India, the UK, wherever, I hope and pray that God will do something sweet.
It hasn’t been a field of velvet though… there have been struggles on team… Usually pertaining to self-esteem or lack of a specified talent…. It’s been pretty emotional at times, but the team is really supportive of everyone and best of all I haven’t heard any cutting down of anyone. Very little sarcasm and… it’s just a bunch of young adults passionate to see God move. Lol… they make me feel old sometimes! :D I want to keep that kind of passion with me. Pray that God will keep us Passionate for Himself and for us to be passionate to share about Him everyone we meet whether by word or deed.
In the meantime from here in the foothills, Grace and Peace
James