Training

These past couple of days we have started our training modules with all of our staff. Our day starts at 8:30am at our training venue which is a 5 minute walk from the Ratanak office. God provided a wonderful Khmer restaurant that rents out conference rooms and catering at an extremely reasonable prices. One of the team building games we played was having each person share 3 things about themselves but one of those things would be true and the other two comments would be false. The rest of the team then had to vote on what was true and what was false. This game was a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other in a more casual way but it also turned out to be a teaching moment as we shared that when you speak the truth you don't have to think much but when we try to lie, we have to remember all that we had said.

Our mornings begin with a devotional based on one of our Ratanak core values. What has been encouraging from the beginning of our training sessions is the openness and depth of sharing that has already started to happen among the staff and the comraderie and humor that we are observing. Our consultant/translator commented that even the way our two home advisors were speaking to one another was touching as the language they were using was a sign of endearment and affection. We have a sense that the Lord is beginning this journey of knitting our hearts together.  It has been a huge answer to prayer.

In one of our core values about being a Christian organization, we highlighted that we follow Jesus as our model and so we asked the staff several questions. Who is Jesus? Why should we follow Him and not follow ourselves and how should we follow Him. What does it mean when Jesus says He is The Way, The Truth and The Life (John 14:6).  Each of our staff shared their own personal encounters with the Lord and it was a blessing to hear different testimonies of how the Lord had been working in their lives and showing Himself faithful in provision as they chose to follow Him.

Yesterday's lunch

At lunch time, the restaurant has given us generous portions of Khmer food so much so I think we will all be gaining some weight from the eating. Nonetheless, it is these times of casual fellowship that serve to further unite and bond the team together.

Today's coffee break snack -- more like breakfast

Discussions on the RAP Framework (Malak, Julie & Nary)

The next two days our staff have gone for some technical training on burnout prevention. We feel that it is important to equip them in this area  as the work in this ministry can be so demanding emotionally, mentally and physically.

Next week we will continue to focus once again on our core values as an organization and do further reflections in the morning while the afternoons will be spent on more light hearted team building exercises. In all of these exercises we trust that the Lord will deepen our walk in Him and our relationships with each other!