Yesterday we worked on putting a roof back on the Jungle Camp house I'll be living in. We only got one half done in about 2 1/2 hours. It took us quite a while to figure out how we wanted to do it. Here's a picture of what our house looks like today.

Jungle Camp Preparations

Well, I am in full swing getting ready for Jungle Camp. It's hard to believe I am at this time of the year already! Seems like I just drove onto the campus...
Each Jungle Camp team was given five trees to slab and rip down to the size we needed to construct one jungle camp house. We are now at the point of "shipping" all our items up to Jungle Camp on the Farmall tractor. Each team (of roughly 7 people) is allowed six flights, each weighing 728 lbs--as a Cessna holds that weight. This includes wood, contruction materials and tools, electrical, plumbing, food, clothing, and toiletries for the two weeks. As you can see, we are being forced to plan ahead as will be necessary when flying into a tribe. This is such a fun time for me, though I am realizing the need for planning ahead! We will soon be finishing our houses, retarping the roofs of the ones already built, and putting on the walls and roof of the new house. Please pray for safety and patience as I learn how to do this! This is a picture of me ripping the old hole-y roof off!

Spring Break

Over the past year while in training at New Tribes Missions Institute, I have learned so much about what I will be doing in the future. As I continue in my third of four years of training, I learn more each day about what the rest of my life will look like.

After graduating from New Tribes Language Institute in June 2007, I am anticipating being overseas in six to twelve months. Once arriving there, I will begin learning the national language. When I have reached a fluent level of that, I will be able to enter a tribal location with a church planting team.

Once in a tribe, I will begin language/culture acquisition in an animistic culture. I will be learning the language of a people group that has no form of written language. This may take as few as two years, but often lasts much longer. When fluent in this language and culture, our team will be able to begin teaching Bible lessons. These lessons will begin in Genesis and work through key Old Testament passages to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

This only scratches the surface of tribal church planting as our team teaches our new brothers and sisters in Christ about their new relationship with God and each other.

Thank you for your prayers as I venture on this path!