Sunday, December 29, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Lisa’s two worlds become one
The Leadership Summit in Pittsburgh was a dream come true
for me because my two worlds became one.
Below you will find a short video (1.24 min.) of the tour I took the team of Latin Americans on.
(here is the link from youtube.com in case it's not visible from the blog:
I have lived and served in Latin America for thirty years. I
started when I was twenty-two years old and so apart from Mirna Sotomayor and
my husband, no other Latin American with whom I work really knows the world in
which I grew up in. I feel like an “ahistorical figure” in Latin America, like
I dropped into Latin America and no one knew my roots, my family, my upbringing,
and the role my churches and friends have played in my spiritual journey. Every
day I lived and traveled with my Latin friends on the streets of Pittsburgh
(really the North Hills), I felt more and more known.
Below you will find a short video (1.24 min.) of the tour I took the team of Latin Americans on.
(here is the link from youtube.com in case it's not visible from the blog:
Lisa's tour down memory lane (visits to her Pittsburgh homes growing up)
Here is a sampling of their impressions:
Here is a sampling of their impressions:
- Don’t despise rambunctious kids. Lisa was quite rambunctious and look how well she turned out. (Gloria, Mexico)
- Why would she leave such a nice neighborhood? It must have been a call from God. (Rixy, El Salvador)
- You can clearly see her healthy foundations; she was well invested in by her parents, church, and youth leaders. (Robert, Panama)
- As a child, she never could have imagined returning to these woods she played in forty years later with people from Latin America in tow. We can’t visualize the future—good thing! (Duglas, Guatemala)
- Don’t forget your past because it can be inspiring to others. I feel closer to “my professor” for having seen where she grew up. It’s important for me to understand the person whose leadership is so influential. (Alvaro, Bolivia)
Sunday, December 15, 2013
The team of Latin American's close encounter with Ligonier's "Vomit Comet" and other adventure activities
During the Pittsburgh Leadership Summit this past summer, one evening, all but two members of the group made our way
into the woods of Ligonier Camp and Conference Center to the Giant Swing—affectionately
called “Vomit Comet” for reasons you can imagine. After a thorough briefing on
the numerous safety measures related to wearing a helmet, harness, and how we’d
all protect one another’s emotional safety through a full value contract (encouraging
one another both verbally and with body language) we were prepared to be pulled
up high into the air, then the “flyer” would pull a parachute like cord, and be
released to sang into the air.
During the debrief afterward Karina (Argentina) shared the
following: “I wanted to challenge myself
to take another step of faith since I have already done the Trust Fall. As I
was strapped in, pulled up high (just beyond my comfort zone) let loose and
swung high and low, I extended my arms to fully feel my faith step. As I
mediated on this, I realize that my faith today was based in part on the
foundational safety briefing we had. And I think just like their safety measures
gave me a firm foundation to trust the system, likewise my time in Scripture
and studying God’s Word gives me reasons to trust, it solidifies His
trustworthiness.
I wanted time to slow down since I was living a dream these
days the team of Latin Americans was in Pittsburgh this past summer. Each day was pregnant with new concepts forming in the minds of the Latin
Americans. I saw connections being made between theories like power distance
(link), low and high context cultures (link), and problems at home and
church. I saw how the evening activities we participated in at Ligonier Camp
connected with things we were learning during the day with Jim. Without a doubt, I am a firm believer in experiential education and found myself delighted daily in the discoveries we were all making.
I trust you will enjoy this 5 min. video composite of pics and video clips of our team at Ligonier, making connections and learning through our experiences.
Adventures Latin American team had at Ligonier Camp
Adventures Latin American team had at Ligonier Camp
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Just because Lisa says so?
Interaction between Victor Hugo Martinez from Monterrey, Mexico and Dr. Plueddemann:
If you have the opportunity to promote our 20-volume Games Encyclopedia to Spanish-speaking people, please direct them to amazon.com where they can place their orders or have them get directly in touch with me at capacitacion@ccial.org
(key words for amazon.com are: ENCICLOPEDIA JUEGOS CREADORES DE AMBIENTE)
Victor Hugo reacted passionately, leaning in as he spoke:
“Look, Professor Plueddemann, this is how it happened."
|
"A Cuban guy traveled to Mexico and there he found one of our
camping magazines so he got in touch with the president of CCI LA/Mexico via
email. Then our president put together a delegation to do a training in Cuba.
My wife and I took our 20-volume Games Encyclopedia and although the Cuban
leaders initially rejected the idea of substituting their annual camp soccer
tournament with cooperative games, after the training camp they were all
convinced. They came to that conclusion once they noticed that there had been
less discrimination against the women who were no longer just cheerleaders but
participants. They told us the story about how one of their churches had
canceled having any camps whatsoever ten years prior because their pastors had
gotten into a fistfight during a heated soccer match. After attending the
“hand-on” training camp where they experienced a camp program that created an
environment of camaraderie, full participation, free of rivalry,
discrimination, hostilities, and ridicule, these pastors re-initiated their
yearly camping program. They invited us to return each year to do the training
and each year they invite more and more churches to send their leaders to
attend. We have been doing this for four years. “
Leaning back in his chair, Victor Hugo concluded: “That,
Professor Plueddemann, is why I believe in and teach purpose-driven
recreation.”
Jim smiled and reminded us all of the need to be conversant in the vision that drives us. |
(key words for amazon.com are: ENCICLOPEDIA JUEGOS CREADORES DE AMBIENTE)
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Operating in one’s giftedness-Alfredo preaching & Lisa teaching
Alfredo and Carlos Baca giving the call to worship. |
Alfredo did a superb job translating both the words and spirit of Dr. Jim Plueddemann's teaching. |
Memorial Park Church morning service led by our team of Latin Americans |
I was invited to preach for the first time ever in all four services. |
I prefer teaching but appreciated the privilege of speaking to over 1000 church members. |
This is the link to hear our sermon on July 14, 2013 at Memorial Park Church
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