When I DIP, you DIP, we DIP!

My life is about change, and you can come along for the ride!  It is with great joy that I announce that I will be living and working in the United Kingdom for a year starting in August!!   I will be working with the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) through their YAGM (Young Adults in Global Mission) program.

Me and some friends spelling YAGM

This past weekend I attended the DIP (Discernment-Interview-Placement) event in Chicago. What a rollercoaster!  Let me start at the beginning.

*windchime*

January 26, 2015

        My dad came home from a church council meeting and told me to go to a website.  I paused and asked why (because naturally I question everything my dad tells me).  He explained the YAGM program vaguely and briefly so I decided to check it out.   After a short while, I got on Facebook and started a conversation with my friend Jake who was about to leave for Albania for 2 years through the Peace Corps.  We chatted for a while and I decided that I needed more information about mission and the possible placement sites.

       That is when I contacted my friend Alicia.  We've been friends since middle school and she went to Asia for a year through YWAM (Youth with a Mission).  I asked her about life away from friends, about mission in general, and flat out asked if she thought I would be good at it.  Then it was research time.  I slaved away at my laptop looking up country after country and comparing the possible placement jobs.   After 2 days of intense thought, I had narrowed down the 9 countries to my top 4.  My top 4 kind of chose itself as 2 of the countries made me flat out scared (Jerusalem/West Bank & Rwanda), 2 countries require knowledge of Spanish (Mexico & Argentina/Uruguay), and 1 country I just could picture myself there (Cambodia).

 February 2015

      I finished my application, and pressed Submit.  Immediately a feeling of dread washed over me.  Was I making the right decision?  Would they like me?  Am I really a good fit for mission? It was officially out of my hands.  I continued to pray about it and talk to people I trusted about this possibility for my future.

March 16, 2015

      I checked my email at lunch and nothing.  Today was the day, I could feel it.  I just knew that they would send out the letters today.  I don't know what made me feel so strongly, but I did.  And I was right!  Right after I arrived home from a long day at school, there it was staring me saying, "Open me!"  Suddenly, I was struck with fear.  It was like college acceptance letters all over again!  Do they want me?  Was I good enough?

Dear Aline,

Greetings from Chicago! It is with joy that we write to invite you to join us at the Young Adults in Global Mission Discernment, Interview, Placement (DIP) event, April 16-19, 2015... we believe that the young adult opportunities in the United Kingdom might offer the best placement fit for you.

 United Kingdom. YES!  Wait...one country.  I only have one country.  I thought we were supposed to get two preliminary placements.  Oh my god. They hate me.  They are looking for a reason to get rid of me.  OR, I was super awesome and open and they just know that the UK is the perfect place for me to do God's work.  Let's go with the latter.

April 16-19, 2015 - DIP

     After a month to prepare for the coming days, I woke up early and drove to the airport.  I tried not to think about what was ahead of me, but we all know that when you consciously try to NOT think about something, you end of THINKING about it.   I resigned myself to being the oldest person in the group.  My brain went back to high school and I was suddenly stricken with a fear that I would be so alone during the weekend.  How could 22-24 year olds possibly want to get to know me as a person?  I'm like the mom of the group.

      With that question in my head I boarded the plane that would take me to Chicago!  It was a boring flight (which is a good thing), so I gathered my things and preceded to find some lunch.

Mini Pretzel dogs for the lunch win!

 I grabbed my lunch and searched for the signs to the bus and shuttle center.  An escalator, 7 moving walkways, and an elevator later, I strolled into the center and scanned for a place to sit.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.  5 young people sitting along and yet kind of together.  They have to be YAGMs, I thought to myself.  I debated being brave and asking, but I chickened out because heaven forbid I look silly!  I grabbed a seat at a table, ate my lunch, and broke out my bright pink deck of cards.

"Yaggies!!"  I looked up, startled.  Arlene had arrived to guide us to the buses that would take us to our home for the weekend.  1. 2. 3. 4. 5.  All 5 people I had noticed before were slowly moving together towards Arlene.  I was so right!  Why didn't I just trust myself!?

Our group of 6 became fast friends.  These were the people to whom I found myself clinging during the weekend.  We arrived at Techny Towers in Northbrook, IL and there was no going back.   I got my room key, checked in and for the first time since leaving my house, I began to relax.   I met some more pretty cool people and we headed upstairs for Icebreakers.

"Stand up if you share your birthday with someone famous."  Oh yea. I got this one in the bag. (Apparently it became a competition for me.  It happens when you have an older brother.)

"My name is Aline. I'm from Nebraska, and I share a birthday with Jesus."  BOOM!  The room reacted and at that moment I felt calm inside.  I knew that I could definitely find some true friends here.

Tea, chocolate, and biscuits

Thursday was over as quickly as it had begun.  I slept poorly and awoke desperately needing coffee.  After breakfast, we had our first (my only) country presentation.  Instead of coffee, I received some English Tea.  Now, normally I hate tea.  It tastes like burnt water.  However, today it wasn't awful.  It had milk in it, but no sugar.  I think if I had added sugar I would have chugged the tea.  We also had some chocolate and biscuits (so delicious!).

I learned more about the partner organization and the possible placements I could receive.  I was beginning to feel more excited and more confident in the skills that I could offer.

Then came my interview.  I went in feeling confident, but afterwards I felt as though I hadn't done enough.  The UK was my only option, so if they didn't like me, I could potentially go home.  What a let down.  With my only interview out of the way and hours of down time, I continued to dwell on my interview.  I picked apart every look, every pause, every breath.  I walked with some friends to the gift shop (for the second time that day) and as I looked across the pond I was overcome with an immense feeling of peace (but also terror because I thought the goose was going to chase me).

Scary Goose. Peaceful Pond

I returned to the building with a renewed sense of belonging.  I belonged here.  I was meant to be here, and I was meant to be on this journey.  So I took a deep breath, and walked to dinner.  After dinner and worship, we were asked to hang out either in our rooms or in the plenary space.  I walked upstairs after putting on some comfy pants to find a full blown disco happening.  It was like high school prom all over again.  Here we were, about 20 young people, dancing their hearts out to NSYNC, Spice Girls and many other 90's icons.   It was an amazing way to end our time together.

*windchime*

It's no secret that I was placed in the UK (they liked me, they REALLY liked me!) with 13 other YAGMs.  It was an amazing and intense weekend full of stories, singing, tears, dancing, and laughter.  I can't wait to see these amazing people in August before we all set out to change the world.   Stay tuned for my future adventures!

~~Lina