MTI Week 2

Week 2 started off with two days of training on conflict. We went over different kinds of conflict styles and had to figure out which one, under stress, we usually lean toward. I pretty much already knew I was a “conflict avoider”. They assigned an animal to each style and mine is a Turtle! They grouped us by our preferred, under stress, styles and then we had to look up scriptures that both supported and condemned our styles. Interestingly enough, each group could find plenty of scriptures to support each, but then could find plenty that advised against each style! I was thinking to myself at this point, “ok, how is this helpful?!”. The point was all styles are needed in a group, that for the most part, you wouldn’t want a group made up entirely of any of the types. Each type serves a purpose. You would be advised when working in a group to be aware of your own style and the styles of the others in your group so you know better how to use each persons strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Why is this so important you ask? Well because it is a fact that most missionaries leave the field early due to conflicts with other missionaries!! So we must be more self aware and use the tools we are learning to deal with conflicts as they happen and not let the build to the breaking point!

Wednesday we did a simulation. In the simulation we were taken to the basement of the building and put in a confined area and told armed conflict had broken out in our country and we were hiding out from the rebels. Our group was told we were hiding in the attic of a hospital. We had to watch for rebels searching every building, we had a radio to contact the outside world for help but had to be careful what we said as not to give away where we were or what we were planning. We had to decide whether to take in a couple national believers and friends of theirs we did not know. Then we were told a rescue plane was coming but it only had room for 5 of us (there were 14 in the room), so we had to decide who we would send to meet the rescue plane. Then we were told those plans fell through and we had been captured by the rebels! Then we had to pick 2 people to be executed! It was crazy!! It definitely made us think “we need to have this thought through and realize what we are willing to do” should the situation really arise! You never know! We spent some time afterwards talking about the conflicts that arose and working through them.

The next 2 days were spent talking about going into a new culture, the stages you go through and the different entry postures you could take (chosing to be open about it or critical, for instance). Part of the time was also spent talking about the issues MK’s (missionary kids) or TCK’s (third culture kids) have to deal with. Then the issues singles on the field have to deal with. We were pretty wiped out by the end of the week!!