Last Saturday I was given the opportunity to help recruit interns for our summer program at Cross Point Camp in the woods of southern Oklahoma. At this camp, 100 college students convene for the weekend for a time of fellowship and spiritual renewal. Carrie Clark, PT’s Perkins [school of theology] intern and I drove the two hour drive north to talk to these students about PT’s mission and invite them to apply to be a summer intern.
This was my first experience in official recruiting and it was so great to see how receptive the students were. But more than that, I felt that it was the campus ministers in attendance that really saw opportunity for their students in what we came to talk about. With all the pamphlets and people we talked to, we are sure to have at least a few applicants from this experience.
Because I was never “recruited” for PT per se, I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing up there, but after being with PT for about five months now I feel that I was able to clearly communicate the vision of Project Transformation and hopefully inspire people who would be a good fit for our internship, just by relating my experience so far.
Abby Seibel
I did not really know what to expect when we site coordinators and select staff members began our “gear up week” retreat at a ranch in N. Texas. I knew it was to be 2 ½ days of togetherness and activity to get us pumped about the new semester at PT What I wasn’t expecting was how much growth I was personally going to get from it.
I had never really committed to the whole New Year’s resolution thing before. I had not even come up with one for 2010. But one of the main things Gear Up week taught me was to set goals. We focused much more on personal goals then I had thought we would and this, I realized, is because our personal attitudes about ourselves greatly reflect on to how productive our site is. So I went from thinking I had no New Year’s resolution to commit to, to setting about eight personal goals to be completed by the end of 2010. Through this activity, I also learned that if one does not plan how to achieve a goal step by step, then they are just setting themselves up for failure. Lofty goals are not achievable unless you have a path to reach them. So, with each goal, I set a way in which I was going to achieve it. Doing this has already helped me immensely in achieving my goals, and I’m off to a great start. In turn, being more productive and proactive in my personal life has bled over to being more productive and proactive in my PT life because I am not being scatter-brained.
I will have to wait to see how these goals play out over the year and how the semester with PT will go. But I hope that seeing a new way to set and achieve goals will resonate with me for a long time to come.
Abby Seibel
Gear Up Week at the Green Tree Farm turned out to be an amazing spark for my 2010. The house provided a rustic, relaxing get away atmosphere, which allowed me to comfortably focus on my goals, learn many new aspects of my character, and take part in fellowship with the other site coordinators and staff members. I feel blessed to have engaged in training with Mrs. Marilyn Dickson. Her presence was so magnificent. I felt God speak through her grace, and she helped me discover my spiritual gifts. I am more knowledgeable about the spiritual gifts God instills in each of us, and I am so glad to have my gifts clearly defined. I know how I can utilize them in my future endeavors. The few days out at the ranch were great, and I feel privileged to have attended. Thank You PT!
Andrea Bibb
The New Year is a time when a lot of exciting things happen and second chances are made. Unfortunately for my family, it included a huge medical scare for my mom just before New Year’s Eve. She is literally nothing short of a miracle. It was a very scary time and we are very fortunate that we all came out on the other side intact. When something like this happens, it can be very difficult to look past it, move forward, and start to carry on with normal, everyday life.
Going back to work meant going to PT’s yearly Gear-Up Week, which meant a 3 day retreat away from my family. Gear-Up Week is designed to recharge our batteries and really figure out how we want to continue pushing forward to best help our kids. I was more than hesitant to go, but little did I know that those three days were my chance to really begin my new year. We focused on our own personal goals, vision, and direction through a lot of self-exploration.
The site-coordinators and staff played together, prayed together, and affirmed one another. I came to the retreat with an anxious and fearful heart, but left inspired and full of anticipation for the second half of my journey with PT. Thankfully, I work with the most supportive colleagues and staff anyone could ask for. Project Transformation is more than just a work place, it is truly a family. And I look forward to taking that love and warmth I received at our retreat and sharing it with my kids, because they are my family too.
My normal, everyday life means giving everything I have to the children in my program. If anyone deserves something exciting or a chance to head in a new direction, it’s our kids. And I’m ready, again, to make that possible for them.
Emily Mares
This past Friday we had a retreat for the PT staff and site coordinators at University Park UMC. We discussed ideal community, and the different degrees of community. It was interesting to reflect on the communities we have all experienced, and also discuss how we can create community at our sites and with other interns. The best part of the fall retreat was getting to spend time outside of the office with the other site coordinators and staff.
Mary Kate Ferguson
-
- Leaving the shore
-
- Jumping on the boat!
-
- Taking on water…
-
- Bail Out!
The answer is four. The Executive Director really pushes it over the top!
Filed under: 2008-2009 Year Round Interns, Retreats | Tags: 2008-2009 Year Round Interns, Eddie, Katy, Ministry Intern, Sheena
Meagan-
Early in January, the PT staff and interns ventured out to a beautiful country home outside of the big city to get recharged and get ready for a brand new exciting semester. I was very excited to get to spend some time in the quite, relaxing surreal countryside with my wonderful friends from PT. I was not disappointed with the week’s adventures. The home was beautiful, with horses, a lake and the best part a hammock. I loved playing games with the interns and staff, seeing everyone in a new light; away from the office and busy life of a city. The best part was getting to do activities that really challenged me to look at who I am. We worked with a wonderful lady, Marilynn, who helped us evaluate our spiritual gifts and talents. I enjoyed getting to know myself and work to knowing the Lord deeper. The week was filled with amazing laughter, smiles, joy and just plan fun!
What's your secret ambition?
Eddie-
Last week before we started the spring semester, we went on Gear Up Week, a retreat to reflect on the last semester and look forward to the upcoming one. It was a great time for me to get away and reflect on myself and my relationship with God. We did a spiritual gifts survey which helped emphasize for me even more why I love working with kids. I also spent some time coming up with some goals and ideas for my site for the spring semester. One of my goals this semester is to focus more on positive reinforcement for my kids than I did last semester. I’d say Gear Up Week did its job, it made me more excited to go back to work with my kids, it energized me personally, and it made me evaluate my life to see where I am spiritually right now.
Eric and the girls!
Sheena-
This retreat was such an amazing experience for me! I enjoyed the Ranch. Being away was so perfect and peaceful. It gave me the opportunity to really focus on why I was there, and it allowed me to be completely open for information and have no obstacles. The games brought a lot of laughter and created many new memories for me. They helped us all become more comfortable around everyone and really just let loose, even our crazy bosses! It was a blast.
Thursday, Marlyin Dickson came and talked about spiritual gifts. This day was probably my favorite because I learned so many new things. I learned so much about spiritual gifts, and I was able to recognize that I too have a spiritual gift and can use it to make a difference. I also learned more about my personality, and it helped realize why I do some things the way I do. IT WAS SUCH A GREAT WEEK AND I WANT TO GO ON A RETREAT EVERY MONTH!! LOL!
Some of us sang at the top of our lungs in the hammock while others enjoyed a friendly game of bocce ball!
Katy-
I’m going to be honest: I was not exactly looking forward to gear-up as I rolled into the parking spot outside the ranch house. I COULD be staying in Michigan longer, I COULD be at home, getting ready for the upcoming week, and so many more “I could be…”. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised however. Even though I was sick the whole time, and my fellow interns told ghost stories that scared me into sleeping on the couch, I had a lot of fun. Probably the most interesting part of the trip was the sessions on spiritual gifts, and personality types. I was kind of ashamed- in a nonserious way- actually. I guess I am an introvert who likes a very stable environment (and I’m working in a very flexible environment where I need to be around people all the time… go figure). But besides giggling about how many of us are introverts, I had a blast just chilling out and playing games with the others. Oh how much you can learn about people by just playing Apples to Apples.
