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The sun is out nice and bright today, and I am reveling in what remains of Fall, when Wheaton shows off the most brilliant colors. I am thoroughly enjoying the clinical psychology program, and finding it a perfect fit with my interests, goals, and capacities, even though grad school has been incredibly demanding.
Two Fridays ago, I was invited into a committee meeting of our Board of Trustees, sat by the college President, and was asked to lead the devotions, and interact with them about my experiences. Perhaps one of the most nerve-wracking, rare encounters of late, and it was a great chance to meet with some of the people who make decisions for the school. Last Friday, the President and his wife actually joined our Filipino community here for lunch.
For this whole school year, I‘ve landed a clinical internship spot at a counseling center that many say is the best in the area! Outreach Community Ministries is a non-profit that offers a “wrap-around” variety services. We therapist interns receive consistent supervision (including live feedback in sessions), and meet with a diverse array of clients in terms of presenting mental health issues, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, and age-range. This is 20 of the richest but also exhausting hours of our week, on top of full academic load.
I am also a part of a team presenting at the 30th Mental Health and Missions Conference in two weeks. Our small team has worked for months on putting together information on current trends and challenges in missions and mental health, especially among graduate students with international experiences from the Wheaton community. It’s a chance for a young team like ours to get to speak to attendees and veterans in the field about staff care – assessment, counseling, training for missionaries and constituents. The Wheaton program emphasizes the integration of psychology and theology.
It is also exciting to get to assist in the growth of the new batch of graduate students in the psychology department, by serving as a Teaching Assistant who supervises and gives feedback in laboratory counseling sessions, and facilitating some classroom discussions.
As you may imagine, it’s a work-filled season. Meeting with people of different concerns, and the task of helping individuals and families move toward change is no small venture. It takes so much from us clinicians in training. Yet I also experience the Lord’s presence and grace as He leads and guides in this work.
I would deeply appreciate your prayers and continued support as I give myself to the task of learning and helping people. I also appreciate your grace for my not being able to communicate as adequately as I would wish. I would love to hear how things are going for you as well. I lift you up to the Lord’s most caring hands.
Friends from the Global Student Program 2008 came to Chicago! Our reunions have provided continuity to our friendship and personal growth.
Convinced the Board of Trustees to a brief photo op, haha! Like I said, they were nice :) | | |
| I have been accepted into graduate school at Wheaton, & I have been selected as a recipient of the BGC scholarship! After years of lay training in counseling, I now have the opportunity to gain graduate training in Clinical Psychology. How many times have I heard some version of, “You are gifted in meeting people in their deepest, most broken places,” yet felt inadequately trained to handle profound psycho-emotional needs. I am excited to have a broadened capacity in bringing people closer to the transformative truth of Christ in them! It’s been miraculous to be led to a school with both the program & scholarship I need, as well as an integration of biblical truths. Accomplishing the program requirements was a process of grace. The way the Lord maneuvered around seemingly restrictive timing & circumstances has been very affirming in taking this direction. This doubles my eagerness for advanced training in people-helping, which I’ve desired for a long time. It is an honor to be one of the eight international students to be offered the BGC scholarship. The program helps equip emerging leaders for Kingdom building in needy parts of the world. After two years of graduate studies, I will return to the Philippines & serve with the Navigators for four years. Staff care, youth development, counseling, & training/education would be part of my involvement. People-helping tools & skills would be essentials to refining & expanding ministry at home & in the region. I am currently in the process of completing the funding (not a full grant), and then the required documentation for needed entry permits. Do pray with me that all things will go well, that I'll meet deadlines, and see God working through it all! Would appreciate you being part of the journey :)
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| another national gathering of nav kids has been held, this time in davao! sixty-one attendees, mostly late teens, from across the archipelago. it's been a treat to see these kids grow over the years. (some would now put up a fight if you call them kids  ). they are incredibly brilliant, creative, gifted young people. large gatherings that happen every two or three years have allowed us to have some really great memories (who could ever forget playing sniper one late night up at caliraya six years ago?). they've seen me with blue hair, i've seen them with snot. just kidding, they have so much more elegance than that. being kids of staff or alumni, they find themselves with unique potentials and needs. helping plan and facilitate this year's conference, we hope they've had a good time experiencing the reality of God's love, as they move towards Him ever closer. here are some of our favorite moments!
lectures & fun.. good mix :)
impromptu talk show. these guys oughta get paid for humoring people :)
teams and their respective leaders did an awesome job!
brutal love
rockstar and actor in the making...
they had to listen to this guy
the little nipa hut that wasn't so real..
i smell trouble..
love it when they decide to just jam during spare time
crazy fun
wish i had photos of our visit to the monkey-eating eagles and the crocodile farm. we even put up an instant variety show at jack's ridge's ampitheather! davao has so much to offer. including supposed ghosts in the camp grounds, haha. the next time around, we'll all be a little older. but i think we're all looking forward to it  .
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| i have come to the end of my summer-long journey in the US .
God certainly stretched me through challenging relationships and settings, and
yet provided me with soul-nourishing ones as well. i’ve seen Him maneuver through dead-ends, and
renew hope through even just hints of great possibilities that lie ahead. i became witness to changed hearts that have
come closer to God’s own, and i’ve seen more of His incredible work throughout
the world. the words ‘easy’ and ‘smoothe’
don’t apply to this summer experience, even right at the start. but it was
rich, colorful, irreplaceable; and i’d do it again in a heartbeat.
i've also had chance to visit and reconnect with some good friends.
seen some great places, even got to visit a school i pray i get
accepted at :) but more importantly, appreciated even more what God
does in the stories He is weaving in people's lives.
at the start of the summer, my prayer for our team at glen eyrie
was jeremiah 29:11-14a. at the end of
the summer, i am still moved by this simple yet powerful verse: Then you will call upon me and come and pray
to me, and I will listen to you. may we never hesitate and keep coming, and
calling, and praying to the God who has power to move the whole universe. For He is right by our side, listening
intently.
our team at our favorite place in the entire glen: the kitchen dishpit :)
at our last nav night, praying for our program directors.
team leaders with program directors, and shepherds
at the compassion international office with joe!
the caves are some of the glen's best kept secrets :)
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● Netherlands ● Carin ● Joanne ● Elise ● Kya ● Renske ● Jaap ● South Africa ● Nyamu ● Sebabatso ● Fumane ● Chere ● Sesi ● Egypt ● Vecture ● Kenya ● Victor ● Monica ● Nigeria ● Chisom ● Canada ● Diana ● Meredith ● Alecia ● Esther ● Crystal ● Mexico ● Gustavo ● Brazil ● Fernando ● Alex ● South Korea ● Changmin ● David ● Mongolia ● Galaa ● Lebanon ● Ghinwa ● Taiwan ● Doris ● Jenny ● Maria ● Dorcas ● United States ● Burke ● Hannah Edsall ● Jordan ● Rachel Layne ● Chris & Margaret ● Rachel Kronk ● Immanuel ● Leanna ● Levi ● Dave & Hannah ● Lauren ● Katie ● Natalie ● Philippines ● Ram ●
He is a special case. What’s a guy who would say he is not a Christian doing at the Global Student Program (GSP)? He had no religious affiliation back home in Seoul. He applied to join this year’s summer training program at Glen Eyrie because he is seeking God. After much consideration, he was accepted into the program that caters largely to emerging young leaders from Navigator ministries around the world. He is one of the guys whom God placed in a team I get to grow with and lead this summer.
Daily, he would take the time to ask people questions about God, from some of the most basic, to some of the most profound. We can only offer people help in growing in faith, but ultimately, the decision to follow Christ belongs to them. Yet there is something so powerful about witnessing a person come closer to God each day. And two weeks ago, a pinnacle was reach. Over our breakfast talk, he said he had decided to offered his life to Christ.
It has been an amazing, stretching summer. Serving as Team Leader at GSP gives one the chance to journey intensively with young leaders. The program helps participants grow in faith, character, & leadership. The days are packed with activities. We have the opportunity to learn more about God’s work around the world through the participants, and cast vision for being involved personally. Having thirteen countries represented, we have nights set especially for countries or regions to share about their spiritual, political, or socio-economic landscape. I love being able to pray for the nations with people from different nations! This generation will make key decisions that can help shape the future of God’s assembly of believers.
The challenges on Team Leaders stretch us physically, spiritually & emotionally. We work out details of implementing the program. Language proficiency, culture & personality distinctiveness, spiritual & leadership growth needs of participants also come into play. Yet God has made Himself manifest in unique relationships & circumstances that He used to refresh & grow us.
If I had magic, I would have you all good friends present here so we can revel in His goodness this summer! Thank you for journeying with me in prayer & spirit.
Our team: Me with Changmin (S. Korea), Levi (USA), & David (S. Korea). We work at the Glen Eyrie kitchen, have Bible studies, one-to-one mentoring time, hear awesome messages from esteemed Nav staff, & do lots of fun stuff in the program!
Three copies of the same template. It’s incredible how Glenn, myself, & Burke have much in common, even though God picked us from different places at a time like this, & gave opportunities to grow in mentoring & being mentored. | | |
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). they are incredibly brilliant, creative, gifted young people. large gatherings that happen every two or three years have allowed us to have some really great memories (who could ever forget playing sniper one late night up at caliraya six years ago?). they've seen me with blue hair, i've seen them with snot. just kidding, they have so much more elegance than that. being kids of staff or alumni, they find themselves with unique potentials and needs. helping plan and facilitate this year's conference, we hope they've had a good time experiencing the reality of God's love, as they move towards Him ever closer. here are some of our favorite moments! 
