Hey friends,
So, you would think that after one month of being swamped with homework I would have very little of interest to update you on. Not so! This month there was actually some pretty substantial developments. My team, originally 9 people, is now down to 6. Two of the cadets felt like God was calling them to something different: one will be going to Israel and the other to Liberia. The third is still committed Chazak, but he will be rejoining next year because this year he’s getting married! Having members leave our team was a sad experience for me but it also taught me some valuable lessons. By watching how the Chazak leadership handled the transition, I saw demonstrated how to disagree respectfully with other's points of view, remain humble and gracious and be supportive of others following God's call on their lives even when it takes them away from what you were hoping they would do. Seeing those things played out within a Christian organization had very practical lessons attached to it. So, as I am still very sad and will miss them, I am also happy for them as they seek God's will for their lives and at peace with their decisions.
However, their leaving did create a dilemma. Their departure left me as the only female on Chazak’s Team 3. I was concerned that the organization may require me to take a pause and rejoin with Class 4 next year. They were concerned that I'd feel out of place, unsafe or uncomfortable being the only girl on the team. We had several meetings to discuss various options and I was touched by their sincere concern for my safety and comfort. The solution we came up with is for me to continue with Class 3, but to be allowed to bring my dog to sections of our training where I would be isolated or at risk otherwise. For example, during our wilderness training in Idaho, girls and guys sleep in different areas of the camp, and whereas I am quite comfortable in the great outdoors and would be reasonably close to help if I needed it, without my dog I would still be alone at night in an place far from cell reception and known for its wolf population. I was really encouraged by Chazak's willingness to find creative solutions to unconventional dilemmas like the one I found myself in.
Personally, I am ecstatic about this arrangement. I love being a part of Team 3. Growing up as a TCK (third culture kid) I have gotten very used to making new friends and then saying goodbye within a relatively short timeframe. I have loved my upbringing, but I have found that as a young adult I find it challenging to open up to new people. It's not that I want all of my relationships to only be surface level, but I struggle to develop deep and meaningful bonds because I guess subconsciously I don't expect them to last long and really getting into it with someone requires a lot of emotional energy and makes it harder to say goodbye. But Chazak has pushed me to grow in this area since serving in crisis situations with a team requires a deep level of trust amongst its members. I now share a deeper bond of friendship and trust with the remaining Team 3 members than I have with others in a long time. I have been impressed with their exceptional moral character and I fully trust them. I would have hated to have had to say goodbye to them so soon and start over again.
In additional to this, I'm very comfortable in male dominated environments. Our family served in male dominated areas often in the mission field and being the only girl has never intimidated me. In Ukraine, my mom and I were often the only females when we taught tactical medicine to groups of soldiers, and to be honest, it was a blast! And not least of all, I get to bring my dog, Ermy! Prior to Chazak, I had entertained the idea of joining a Search and Rescue (SAR) canine team with my dog and I'd trained her from puppyhood for this purpose. I was sad to have to leave her behind when I joined Chazak and having her with me for at least parts of the training is like fulfilling that dream at least in some small way. God is so good; the longer I live the more I see His blessings in everything.
Other than that I have mostly been doing a lot (and I mean A LOT) of homework. One course, called “Perspectives," is particularly interesting and is on building a consistent biblical worldview and understanding of the global Christian movement. On top of that, there is a lot of wilderness first response stuff, which is a lot of information to process, but still is a ton of fun. Admittedly, I’m a bit overwhelmed with the sheer volume of assignments we need to complete, but it is really good knowing that I have the rest of Team 3 to back me up and help me when I need it. Did I mention that, in addition to being the only female, I am also the youngest cadet? My teammates are teaching me a lot about adulting, a skill in which they are all more experienced. I'll be spending this February in the Colorado Rockies for Wilderness Survival/Avalanche Rescue training. It's sure to be tough, rugged, wet, and cold…. and whereas that probably sounds miserable to most people, I get the sneaking suspicion that I am going to love it.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers. To those of you who chose to partner with me financially I just wanted to say thank you again, you have no idea how much of an encouragement you have been to me. Thank you also for the kind replies to my newsletter. There has been such an overall positive response and it really means the world to me. And, last but not least, thank you to the prayer warriors who have been covering me in prayer; I really appreciate it. I know prayer helps in ways I may not always see and will never fully understand, so I am all the more grateful for it.
I look forward to telling you all about my excursions in Colorado. For now, please continue to pray for people to be willing to partner with me financially as I've still got to raise a significant amount to complete the program. Please also pray that I will continue to do well in my studies and that during our hiking segments I'll be able to show these guys how it's done.
Thanks again! With love,
Mila