Canada/U.S. Orientation 2020

“We’re saying YES!” was the theme for this year’s Canada/U.S. Orientation which took place through virtual meetings in mid-June. We had 87 people attend from 12 different countries, preparing to serve in over 30 countries.

Each morning would start by waking up and logging in to join a testimony and prayer time attended by new TeachBeyond members spread throughout Canada, the United States, and 10 other countries. In one group was a recent college graduate who was leaving her home in Calgary to move to the Dominican Republic to teach, a young married couple leaving their jobs to serve in Mexico as teachers, a family serving as teacher and maintenance crew in Paraguay, a retired person planning on spending their retirement years in Eastern Europe.

Despite the physical distance, the new cohort was able to spend time in training with lessons on how to work cross-culturally, live internationally, and thrive in the time of transition. The members bonded over shared quarantine experiences, support raising struggles, saying goodbye to family, and figuring out how to pack your entire life into a few suitcases. To further help build connections between each other and the staff, the week was filled with scavenger hunts, trivia quizzes, movie nights, as well as lunch and dinner meet ups. In the midst of those going to serve overseas, a few members were preparing to serve from their home country with Mobilization, Member Care and Communications.

The week ended with the Dedication Service Friday evening. President David Durance shared words of encouragement for our ministry as we were both welcomed into the TeachBeyond family as well as sent out to serve where God is calling us. It was a time of somber reflection on God’s call and a celebration for what the future will hold. The service ended with a virtual choir of TeachBeyond staff around the world singing “The Blessing.”