Technical interview

one of the finalizing steps of the application process (for I.T. anyway) is to meet and talk to a technical recruiter who can find your skill set and make suggestions as to where to place you.

I met Ken, great guy. He mostly said after reading up on me, and hearing other interviews that he felt it would be a waste to talk about whether or not I was skilled, I was, he instead took the time to see what and where I would like to be, and then explain a bit about how I.T. in Wycliffe worked. At certain levels of technical ability, it's easy to see if people are skilled and the interview process is more of a chance to get to know personality.

It was a good conversation and he told me he'd make the recommendation of sending us to PNG. He also mentioned that a teacher/I.T. pair is like the Wycliffe power team. (-; That's always good to hear. Sort of reinforces the feeling that God intended for us to be together and do this since before we were born.

He also told me a lot about I.T. and how important it is, and how a lot of I.T. people are located in the U.S. offices but it's hard for them to discover support because to many people "missions" means "leaving the country". He used the analogy of soldiers. People see soldiers as carrying rifles and driving humvees, but what about the hundreds of soldiers back in Washington supporting them? An aircraft carrier is all about the aircraft, but there are more on the ship than in the plane.

So things are progressing along and it does look good.

Perspectives

My wife and I have attended our first perspectives course. It is a biblical 12 week teaching series on missions. Our first night started a bit rocky, with the babysitter being a tad late and traffic and such, but we arrived on time, took a deep breath and sat down for 3 hours of teaching.

3 hours of teaching during a time when you're used to relaxing your brain is harder than it used to be when were in college. But it was sound teaching.

So I've done the pre-reading... it was GREAT! learned a lot.
then the speaker spoke, he was good, but mostly regurgitated the reading and I didn't necessarily get any new application or angle on the reading.. if anything he clarified it.. which I see a total need for because:
1 - not everyone does the reading
2 - not everyone can get the clear points in a theological essay.
3 - some people learn differently.

thus far it was a decent class... and I'm suspecting it's going to be VERY good. I enjoyed meeting the new people around me, etc.

this week completes our first round (and perhaps only) of phone interviews. They interviewed me separately from my wife for 2 hours or so. Our answers were so similiar (after talking about them) that I wonder if they think that I coached my wife (as there was a day in between answers). The truth is, my wife and I talk about stuff, and typically if it's something important that concerns us both, you'll get a similiar answer regardless of who you ask.

is that odd? I don't think it is.

apparently my personality test says I'm normal, so that's good news.

Now we wait again. We wait on Wycliffe to gather our final paperwork, and to talk to parties necessary. And then finally perhaps I have to take a phone interview for technical skills to prove I know something about computers.

so.... it is looking like end of October to hear if we've been accepted.

September Status

well all of our tests are in, they have the results and we have some final application paperwork to send in.
Next week is our first 2 hour phone interview....

We're looking at a November time frame to know if we're accepted or not.