Just because Lisa says so?

Interaction between Victor Hugo Martinez from Monterrey, Mexico and Dr. Plueddemann:

Jim Plueddemann questioned Victor Hugo: “You traveled to Cuba to teach them about recreation, but why did you bring non-competitive games there? Just because it says so in the books Lisa wrote?"

I was watching this exchange with delight since I have been a “victim” of Jim’s challenging dialogues for years and have benefitted enormously. 

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. 

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)

Training workshop for Ropes Course facilitators: Honduras

One of the events I look forward to the most are those where we develop facilitators of low ropes course initiatives. On the outside, being passed through a "spider's web of string" or falling into the arms of a group of people or climbing a wall, might look simple. One might think: Anyone can lead this activity. But in reality it's not as simple as it looks. Leading it well requires a lot of training in safety measures and most difficult of all is learning how to inductively lead the participants to gain insights into themselves, group process and related Biblical principles.
As you look at this picture, ask yourself, what type of feelings might I have if that was me?
This gives you some idea as to the level of skill the facilitator must have to draw out those feelings, discuss them within the group and make sense of them in light of scripture (learning to trust others is a key issue that causes difficulty for many).
That's why we invest over 48 hours of teaching and practice from Friday night to Monday afternoon. They are taught in small groups of 8 people with two trainers.


As you view the slideshow below, pray for the 40 facilitators who have been trained to use their new found skill to promote godly living and playing and pray for the team of 10 trainers to be given God's strength and wisdom as we teach others purpose-driven recreation.

If you have problems viewing the pictures below, you can go directly to this site to view them in picasawebalbums: http://picasaweb.google.com/lisaandersonumana/TallerDeAcertijiosNivel1CCIALHonduras2629DeMarzo2010?feat=directlink

Eight-hour Workshop on Purpose-driven recreation given by CCI AL/Honduras

I reduced 8 hours into an 8 min. video, with pictures and video clips highlighting our time together with 44 participants from 5 different ministries. They in turn minister to over 500 children and young people, so the multiplying effect is great!
Eight hours of experiential education is visible in this video clip as first they experience recreation like many have never done before.

• We played cooperative games.
• We didn't penalize anyone.
• We didn't eliminate anyone, everyone played.
• We didn't offer prizes or trophies, just the pleasure and joy of laughter.
  

We are thankful to the Sunday School class of First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh for giving us a donation that enabled us to offer this training and equip them with volumes from our Games Encyclopedia.

We are thankful to AFE School for letting us use their facilities and for the folks at CCI AL/Honduras for providing the trainers!

(double click on the video to see it directly in youtube.com)