things i love about Word Made Flesh (well, a few anyway)

There are lots of things i love about Word Made Flesh. i suppose that's a good thing since i've committed to spending at least the next 3 years as a part of their community. sometimes i feel like i'm a dork when it comes to WMF. i get so excited about the smallest things- but i can't help myself...there are some things that i just LOVE about my new community. here are a few of them...

WMF's foundation is theology - not strategy. There are 9 "Lifestyle Celebrations" and i LOVE this. its one of the things that makes me want to be a part of this movement. i love that the character of God, and my relationship with Him is central to this community that i get to be a part of.

Intentional Language - one phrase that i love is "The Majority World" - this is what WMF says instead of "developing world" or "third world." I love this cause its true...and it reminds me that what i consider normal as an American is not normal at all. i live in the minority world. the privilege, opportunities, education, support, love that i know are not normal.

another phrase i love is "in-culturation." its how we talk about getting to know the WMF culture. becoming a part of the community. i love it...the intentional way that WMF is going to help me understand the values and direction of my new community...they way they're going to help me understand their/my culture.

Required reading list: one of the things that i need to do before i head to Kolkata is read a relatively long list of books (i think i have 13 left, since i'd already read a handful when i was in Kolkata before). i love it that there is this dimension of "learning" and preparing me for my time serving in Kolkata. i also have to write "reflections" on these books - and i love it that i have access to the reflections of other staff members...and i'll be able to learn alongside my fellow fleshies, even if we're not all reading the same book at the same time. (i plan on posting the reading list, but its saved on my computer, and a friend is working on my computer so it works better!) i'm almost finished with my first book, "The Open Secret: An Introduction to the Theology of Mission" by Lesslie Newbigin

"Forced Space": WMF Kolkata doesn't let you commit to any particular work in your first year of service with them. I'll focus on language study, adjusting to living and serving in Kolkata and in the WMF community. I'll work at Sari Bari (the business), i'll visit the red-light areas with the staff - but i won't take on any permanent responsibilities. I love that they not only create space for me to discern the ways that God is at work in me and how that lines up with the needs of the community - but they also "force" me to do it...which is a blessing for this American...who sometimes is driven to "achieve" and can have a bit of a "responsibility complex"

so...those are just a few things i love about my new community...there's plenty more where that came from!