Fly in, Fly out teaching

I teach classes in all sorts of contexts, but one which is becoming more common is the "fly in, fly out" model. Kind-of like the miners who commute from Perth, but without the big $$!

I was recently involved in a group which illustrates how this model works, and why.

The academic year has just begun in Spain, and the local IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) group (GBU) was gearing up for their program to begin. As part of their week long staff get together and start up for the year, they invited me to go and teach the MOCLAM Old Testament 1 course.  So, for a week I'd teach the material, and in the afternoon they'd do other GBU stuff, study or get ready for the year ahead.

It was fantastic - here are some of the reasons why.

i. They got the chance to study. 

For many of the people in groups like this, formal, full time theological education is not a possibility. Whether it be for reasons economic, geographical, educational or others - the possibility of going to a seminary to study for a few years is not on the horizon. Therefore, for them to be able to do a seminary level course in their own environment is a great advantage.

ii. They got the chance to study with others.

There is no substitute for learning in community, especially learning theology in community. Distance education is great and it means lots of people can be studying who may not have been able to in the past, but  there is no substitute for community. Studying together in a group for a week means we get to discuss questions, chase ideas, swap experiences, think about personal applications and generally have a fun time - all of which is much harder if you are by yourself.

iii. The got to study in their own language.

One of the issues with theological education, particularly here in Latin America is that many of the good resources and colleges require English. The vast majority of my fly in - fly out teaching is done in Spanish, so is very much more accessible.  (Due to the makeup of the group, the class in Spain was actually in English, which is the first time I have taught in English!)

iv. It is relatively cheap

I can get anywhere in Latin America or Europe for about US$1000. In the world of education that is cheap! Of course the students don't pay for that - the generous supporters of CMS who see this as a worthwhile thing to be doing do.

But of course there are some disadvantages as well.

i. It was only for a week.

Yes we got to study in community and we bonded quickly, and I will have some ongoing email contact with the members of the group - but the class only existed for a week. Theological education is a process of shaping. It is not about giving a long list of answers to an even longer list of questions. It is about shaping our minds so that we can read and understand the Bible so we can teach it to others and work out, using God's wisdom, the answers. You can't do that in a week. You can start, you can give a few building blocks, but the house can't be finished in a week!

ii. It takes time to understand local culture

As a teacher in a fly in, fly out role, I really need to be on my game when it comes to understanding and adapting to the local culture. There are all sorts of things that can be very off-putting for students if I don't understand what is going on. For example, what is my expectation of students asking questions? What do I do when a student gives a wrong answer to a question that I ask? Are the students able to work in small groups without direction? What is considered a reasonable starting time and what is the correct reaction when someone is late?   

All these are cultural questions, and require careful thought. As much as possible, I try to have a local organiser who deals with a lot of the local logistical stuff, and I try and take my lead from them.

iii. Modelling

I think I am safe in saying that the greatest influence on a Christian's life is their day to day and week to week interaction with their church, their pastor, and their fellow local Christians. They will model their Bible reading habits, their methods of thinking, their devotional life and their attitude to others on the models they see around them every day. Therefore, if I come in for a week and say "here's a brand new way to think about the Bible" or "here's a new preaching model", it is hard to know what use that is - and that is assuming that the model I'm introducing is brilliant!

Just as there is no substitute for long term, community based theological education, there is no substitute for long term, relationship-based modelling of the Christian life. 

But, just because it isn't the best, doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.

What we're trying to do now in MOCLAM is see how we can use the "fly in, fly out" model as a basis for forming ongoing study groups. Things like:

- trying where possible to make return visits to teach subsequent classes.

- having students continue in their studies as individuals and meet regularly in local groups.

- encourage students to participate "virtual classrooms" as they continue to study individually.

(By the way, you might be glad to know that we have passed 1,000 enrolments for 2012!)

(Photo: Boarding in Tarija, Bolivia - just before the Military Policeman grabbed my camera!)

Day off trickiness

Today I was doing a bit of planning for the remainder of the year. There are a couple of busy months coming up including a long (4+ weeks) trip and some weekend things. In the midst of that planning, an age old question has arisen. When do you say "no" - I just need to have a rest?

On one hand, the answer is obvious. You say no when you need to.

But its never quite as simple as that is it. I mean, if the thing I was saying no to was a waste of time or pointless, then we wouldn't be having this discussion. No would have been the answer a long time ago.

The problem is, the things that are filling my diary are neither a waste of time nor pointless. In fact, they are exactly the sorts of things I am here to do. Teach courses, participate in workshops, meet and encourage leaders.

You can see (and I'm sure resonate from your own experience) the problem.

Added to that is that fact that out of necessity (due to the availability of those who are coming) many of these things happen on the weekend. Saturday is our family day off. We try and do something together - go to a park or have an adventure somewhere. It is an important thing for the health of our family to do these sorts of things.

But me teaching a course means that family day doesn't happen. I'm led to believe they all have a reasonable time while I'm away - but its not the same. Certainly not the same for me.

Yes - I can usually take a day or so off sometime during the week if I need to, but its not like a Saturday, because the normal stuff of life carries on.

And so - day off trickiness is the result.

On the road again

Tomorrow - I'm on the road again.

My main reason for travelling this time is to teach an Old Testament intensive course to IFES staffworkers in Bilbao, in the north of Spain. (The Spanish IFES group is the GBU) Some of their staff have been doing MOCLAM courses regularly, and for some this will be their first. I'll be seeing my good friends Derek and Jane, who are missionaries from Ireland and who are very quick to remind me about Australian sporting failures.

As usual, I try and do a few other bits and pieces while I'm travelling. This time I'll be having a meeting with the great people from Christianity Explored in London who are producing a Spanish version of the video resources to go with the printed material we already have. I'll also meet a couple of MOCLAM students in Barcelona and have a chance to meet and encourage / be encouraged by other CMS missionary families (Lovells, Whittens), and talk with them about how MOCLAM can help their ministry. Finally, I'm meeting with some people involved with the work of MOCLAM in a large Caribbean island and look forward to working with them on how we can keep the work growing in a very needy part of the world.

Lots of flights, buses, trains,early mornings, late nights and waiting, but as always, I'm looking forward to a productive time. (I'm also packing my running stuff in the hope of continuing my slow build up for the Monterrey Marathon in December!)

Not having a home has some advantages

At Bible study last night we were reading Genesis 11 and 12 and talking about the movement of Abram from his homeland of Ur to Canaan. We did a quick "go around the room" and found that only one member of our group currently lived in the city of his birth. Two others were from different parts of  Mexico and 3 were from outside the country.

We talked a bit about that, and about how it can often feel like we're not at "home". For those of us from a foreign country, culture and language background, this is certainly an issue. I am reminded pretty much every day that I am not from around here - through a lack of understanding of the way things work, language failures, failing to understand the significance of certain events - all sorts of things. But then, when we go back to our original countries, we're not home there either. Things have changed, people have changed, things have moved on. Sometimes we can feel like we are homeless, citizens of no man's land.

But then when got talking about how that sense of "homeless-ness"can be a great advantage for Christians, because in many places the Bible reminds us that our hope is our future inheritance, and therefore we are now to live as aliens and strangers. ( eg: 1Peter 1:3-12, 2:11-12) We're urged not to be conformed and tied to this life, but to live lives that reflect our heavenly inheritance (Col 3:1-17).

Perhaps living as aliens in a foreign country gives us a headstart on understanding and applying these principles?

A week in Bolivia

I just got home from a week in Bolivia where there are many opportunities for training and encouraging  Christian leaders.

Here's a few highlights:

Adrian and Anita (CMS - part of the MOCLAM team, pictured) are now well settled in Cochabamba. They are doing really well at their Spanish studies and are teaching Creation to New Creation to a couple of their teachers from language school! There are good opportunities for Adrian to be starting a new CNC class with a few guys next month or so.

We met with representatives from a couple of different seminaries / denominational groups who are interested in using the MOCLAM courses as part of their curriculum. They are particularly interested because in Bolivia there are many people living in isolated rural areas for who studying at the seminary is virtually impossible. The nature of the MOCLAM courses makes study for these people a real possibility.

It was also amazing to hear about the "normal" life of a seminary student in Bolivia. For many of them, they have classes 6:30-8:30am and 7-9:30pm each day, and go to work in between so they can eat. They are really doing it tough.

In this context, an Australian guy, Nathan Spies, has started an organisation called 'Roots'.    http://rootsassociation.com/   Roots offers scholarships to seminary students so they can spend more time concentrating on their studies. They also offer mentoring and additional training. I was able to teach a one day seminar on Biblical Theology to the Roots group.

I visited a rural church in Tarija in the south of Bolivia. This church serves very poor people living in squats and reclaimed land around the city. It was good to hear of the challenges faced by such a different church.

Adrian, Anita and I had a great day discussing MOCLAM matters and brainstorming at the house of Andrew and Paulina Cox (CMS) in Tarija. Many ideas were developed and it was good to hear how the courses are being used in many different contexts.

I had a game of soccer at 2,600 metres above sea level. After about 3 minutes I though my heart might leap out of my chest it was beating so hard! (But I continued to play for the next hour of course - can't show signs of weakness you understand...)

One of the slightly odd things about going to Bolivia if there was a direct flight from Monterrey to Cochabamba or Tarija it would probably take about 7 hours (have a look at a map).
Monterrey to Cochabamba
But of course, there isn't a direct flight. In fact, my return trip was made up of 5 separate flights and took 29 hours door to door. I even got to have a happy reunion with my luggage 4 hours after I got home!

Warning ... Olympics rant approaching!

I love sport as much as the next guy - especially when my country wins. (And now I have two countries so the chances of that happening are increased).

But, isn't it time that we had a rational debate about sports funding in Australia. I mean, the figures seem a bit out of whack don't they. We have one of the largest teams at the games (from a pretty small country), the government funding that the athletes get would make any state school principal or overseas aid coordinator green with envy and our results aren't that great.

But even if we were winning a whole bag of gold medals, would it still justify the ridiculous amount of money that gets spent on elite sport? I think not.

There are those who say that success at the elite level encourages grass roots participation and therefore public health - but I think that is a myth that as been debunked. If you want to increase grass root participation, put the money into grass roots sport. Come to think of it, if you want to increase education and "smarts" in the community, put the money into schools and universities.

While we're on it - how come I have a HECS debt that I have to pay off, while someone who goes to the AIS doesn't? (and I reckon they have a better chance of endorsing shampoo or nutritional supplements that I do!)

I wonder if a sensible debate about sports funding can be held in Australia with out the "this will cost gold medals" argument dominating the headlines. I guess my response to that is "Ok - maybe it will, but does that matter?"

Rant ends. (apologies)

A new war in Mexico

Here's a really interesting report from ABC-Australia's Foreign Correspondent.

They are doing a story on the problem of obesity around the world, and one of the countries they focus on is Mexico.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-24/fcp-mexico/4126036

One of the great things to see in our neighbourhood is that there is a well maintained park that lots of people use for exercise in the morning and evening. However, that is balanced by the easy availability and amazingly low price of softdrinks (600ml coke, cold at a 7-11 for about AUD$0.50) and pre-packaged, high fat and sugar content snack foods.

Having said all that - we've just come back from a couple of weeks in the USA. Double deep fried doughnut with extra glaze and whipped cream for breakfast anyone??