I didn't know I'd get a chance to update so soon, (but since I did, I had to!) Wow. Just wow. All I can say - this is the COOLEST experience I have ever had. Ever. (and it's only day 2!) I am completely blown away. First off, walking into a room with 35 other artists who are all on different journeys in their work and at different points (our training this week is in conjunction with an "Arts for a better future" seminar/conference that includes ethnoarts people working in the field and those learning about it, all types) it's incredible. I sat next to a woman who has lived with a tribe in Africa for about 30 years co-creating songs and dances with these people...and 10 years before that she was in South America doing the same. And then, to my left is a guy studying at GIAL right now and is about to start full-time work in ethnoarts, getting ready to go across the world long-term. And then there's my team...just starting to sink our toes into this stuff and go abroad short-term. And it's incredible we can all share and learn and grow alongside each other. I've never been so inspired or excited to be an artist. The stories I've already heard about how art has been used to bring healing and reconciliation in families and cultures...so cool. Even just the atmosphere walking into a room Full of creative, passionate-for change people. The air is different. And the little things...to start it all off today we had to come in with a 30 second creative Intro of who we are and how we got here...(I whipped out my best attempt at a rap, Boswell style, haha) - too funny. But people were so good! And it was just so fun and creative. Plus, the training itself is so useful and incredible...real-world stuff. So useful. (it's a lot all at once! Haha, but so good.) In other news, my team is awesome. Just The coolest...everyone is so open, so excited, so passionate, so talented, and so different. We have two focus' within our team: ethnoarts And linguistics, so our training this week is a little divided, but we're finding time for whole group training and learning. Lots of team building. God is doing incredible things already, but we're praying for the chance for even more unity despite the separation during training. Alsoooo! Just speaking pijin again in conversation with Malcolm (a Solomon Islander that has Come to help us) - is just awesome. He's becoming such a good friend and helper. We got so lucky! Already moving beyond small talk - it's just flowing back. So neat. (I'm even learning some of His tribal native tongue - kurai? (spelling on that is way off, haha) but that's a little side bonus. I'm just really energized and excited by this whole thing. I can't believe in a matter of days I'll be in the Solomons, watching and learning about the artistry found in 27 different countries. Wow. This is so much bigger than me. Than us. (I should've counted how many times I wrote the word "awesome" or "incredible"...I bet it's upwards of 15. Haha but for the sake of wanting to write genuinely, As it happens, i'll leave 'em :)

According to Webster, 'grace' is defined as: an unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. Big stuff.


I like to think of it in terms of your grandma's favorite rocking chair on her front porch listening to Alabama crickets, late-night ice cream runs with your best friends during finals week, having the privilege and joy to watch two people you love give their hearts and promises to each other, feeling the warmth of the sun, tangible joy - the kind you can taste and see, puppies. The knowledge that, "weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5). Christ's message of love and redemption.


I'm convinced that there are these moments in life when we are given the opportunity to fall, stumble, trip, crawl towards, cartwheel into pockets of grace. And they exist not only in moments, but in people. In decisions. They are the very essence of God's grace - his lullaby to us as he cradles and protects us.  


This summer I've been given the opportunity to journey into a huge pocket of grace - I'll be going to the Solomon Islands, the place where I actually grew up, with a Discovery Team from Wycliffe, participating in and helping with FOPA (Festival of Pacific Arts), an Arts festival that happens every four years that brings together 25 Pacific countries to share their cultures and their hearts through artistic expressions. I am so incredibly humbled and terrified. And excited. 


I'll be using this blog as a means for communication and updates as much as possible - stories, quotes, prayer requests, etc. I can't wait to share the awesome things God has already done, and will do. 
Training starts tomorrow! It feels like Christmas Eve. 

Our tentative schedule:

June 17 - 24: Dallas, Texas - The Ethnoarts half of our team will participate in the Arts for a Better Future workshop. The linguistic half of the team will visit professors and missionaries at GIAL and SIL International in language survey, literacy, translation and Scripture Use. The whole team will do some language and culture learning.

June 24-27:  Travel - We will fly to LA, then on to Fiji and then to Brisbane, Australia. We will spend one night at the SIL Pacific Area flats. Then we will fly to the Solomon Islands.

June 27-28: Acclimatize - Rest and meet people. Learn places and how things work.

June 29-July 1: Story telling workshop - Tentative plans to receive training in Biblical story telling from Margaret Love, the New South Wales Rep for Wycliffe Australia. We may assist with storytelling at FOPA.

July 3-6: Malaita - Most of the team will travel to Malaita. Ethnoarts members will pre- sent and help at FOPA activities. Language members will meet with national translators. The team will assigned in pairs to stay with local families.

July 7-14: Honiara - We will return to the SITAG center in Honiara. The ethnoarts mem- bers will serve in the FOPA activities in Honiara. Language members will work with translators or help with a literacy workshop or help with the follow-up survey from the Megavoice distribution.

July 15-24: Serve locally - Ethnoarts members will serve local communities and churches through small group and one on one interactions in ethnoarts training. Language members will continue to work with translators, help the Literacy Agency Solomon Islands (LASI) and assist the Scripture Use Specialist.

July 24-31: Debrief in Fiji - We will spend one week in Fiji debriefing. We will process personal experiences, discuss future plans, and plan and practice presentations.


Thank you for your prayers! 


Kathryn