Christian ETAs as Double Ambassadors: Understanding Our Roles & Identities, Establishing Support Networks, & Ensuring Accountability

ETAs during our last Sunday gathering. Cameron, the only male ETA present, led worship by playing his guitar and singing!   

WHY AM I HERE? REALLY.
For me, it was not enough to explain my current stay in Korea with a simple: I am here "to teach," or "to teach English," or even "to teach English as a Fulbrighter." There had to be something more, and I was straining with excitement to discover what that "more" was!

The term "double ambassador" came up during the first Bible study I attended. We are not just here as cultural ambassadors, we are also here as Christ ambassadors.

This conception of a role as a double ambassador changes everything for me.

One of the ways I have answered the question of What am I doing here? is by acknowledging the immense role Christ has played in, I believe, placing me where I currently am. I wouldn't be here without Christ, and I know I wouldn't be able to thrive here without Christ.

I AM HERE FOR A REASON
I am still not feeling "homesick" (as far as my personal definition goes (which may or may not involve bawling my eyes out while clutching a photo of or a letter from my family)), but I know that I am definitely very-healthily moving through the stages of culture shock. Without me really realizing it, the honey moon phase had come and gone. It is a daily struggle for me to remind myself that I am here for a reason.

I am here for a reason. There is a purpose to my year in Korea.

GROUP OF CHRISTIAN ETAS
I have been amazed at the level of honesty this group has arrived at in the short time that we have shared together. Through prayer requests, we have come to understand what others are worried about, anxious about, nervous about, and also what they feel they are inadequate in.

WHY THIS GROUP IS CRUCIAL
Make no mistake, this is not a holy or perfect group of ETAs. The fact that I have to include this disclaimer makes me chuckle. Some of the people in this photo surprised me by professing to be Christ-followers. Some of the people in this photo were likewise surprised that I called myself a Christian. We communicate our values and beliefs so much more through our actions. I think this may be why two people who consider themselves to be Christians but don't necessarily "act like Christians" can fail to recognize each other in passing during the rest of the week. This is beyond unfortunate (verging on tragedy), and is something that I am neither exempt from nor am finding easy to discuss even in writing.

Reading Genesis 15 together. It was very neat listening
to other people's interpretations and observations of the
same passage.

ESTABLISHING SUPPORT NETWORKS
However, discuss I must because, knowing our imperfectness and our fault, this is precisely the reason why it was crucial that we form this group. Apart from Christ we can do nothing. A majority of our conversations would not be about forming support networks or finding accountability buddies if we were self-sufficient. The verses we gravitate towards would likely not be about people from ancient days who have traveled from far away and are struggling with their new identities as "aliens" in a foreign land.

Fear, Anxiety, Nerves, Doubt - they're all there working overtime to cripple us during this journey. Fortunately, this is no ordinary journey, and our God is not an ordinary god.

There is currently a Facebook group with 2013-2014 ETAs who want to give/get (moral, spiritual) support during the year. (If you are a current ETA and are interested in joining, please message me using the contact form on the side bar!).

MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU
Who is your support system? Who/what keeps you going until you reach the finish line? Why are you where you are right now?

Do you also consider yourself a "double ambassador"? What double roles do you play?
Share your thoughts in the comment box below.