Orientation Week

On Sunday, we arrived at the inn at which we would have our weeklong orientation. All of the eMi interns from across the world gathered here in Colorado Springs for this orientation before we were all sent to our respective offices (even though the inn was only about 30 minutes away from my own office). The interns came from all over North America. We had an Alaskan, a few Canadians, and a few from Alabama (Alabamans?) amongst other places. But I was the only Texan (a fact in which I take much pride). Side note: for the life of me, I don’t know where to put a period when using parentheses at the end of a sentence and I can’t look it up because my apartment, where I am currently writing this, doesn’t have Wi-Fi.

Everyone at orientation became quick friends. Not only did we have Christ in common, but engineering as well. Unlike the summer camp experiences I have had in the past, I didn’t feel like the nerd of the group! But really - It was great getting to know people from different parts of the country and hearing their stories. I especially enjoyed hearing their opinions about what Texas is like and educating them on the truth. It is amazing how quickly the bonds of friendship are formed in a setting centered on Christ. The whole experience was spiritually uplifting and energizing for the tasks ahead.

We bonded over team building activities and worship throughout the week, but a vast majority of our time was spent in class learning about the different facets of engineering missions. First we learned about the past, present, and future of eMi. It was amazing to hear where it came from and see how this vision was formed. It was inspiring to see how engineers came to use their skills for the glory of God. Subsequently, we learned extensively about cultural awareness both pertaining to social settings and technical design in the developing world. For instance, though we see modern toilets as a necessity, these mechanisms are potentially worthless in the developing world. The people there don't know how to use them, are uncomfortable once they learn how to use them, and are ultimately more expensive than other, equally sanitary, forms of waste removal. We also spent some time taking assessments that would categorize our personality types, spiritual gifts, and personal strengths. If anyone is interested, I am equal parts D, I, and C for my personality assessment. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, don’t worry, it’s not that important. For my spiritual gifts, I tested strongly in Administration, giving, serving, craftsmanship, and helps. My strengths are Restorative, Learner, Achiever, Ideation, and Adaptable. Again, don’t worry if it sounds like jargon to you.

Anyways, it was extremely sad to send off all of the other interns at the end of the week, but I am ready to hit the ground running when I finally start work. Every morning before work starts, the office gathers to pray over the company and any particular prayer requests that staff might have. On Fridays, the office worships together before starting work. I can’t describe the feeling that comes over you when you realize that you are working in a place like that. I would say that it is an awesome balance between technical and spiritual work, but I don’t think that is it. I think it would be more accurate to describe it as the integration of spiritual and technical work. Needless to say, I am extremely excited to start using my skills for the glory of God. As always, thank you to my donors who make all of this possible.

More to come,

Ryan