There’s been a lot of talk lately about Project 5.6, and quite honestly, we’ve been writing and posting about it too. We have been telling you how great of an opportunity it is to get your feet wet in travel, cultural immersion, serving with long-term teams, learning about the far corners of the world, history to now, and how to engage with what is significant and relevant in today’s world.
So this week we wanted to give you an up close and personal taste from someone who has been there, done that, and is now choosing to take on the challenge to lead one of our first ever Project 5.6 teams this fall. Ladies and gentlemen, an interview with P5.6 Team Leader: Anne.
Name: Anne
Current City: Fort Collins, CO
Been with ELIC since: 2009
Reason for Interview: Future Team Leader for Project 5.6, five countries in six months
Contact Info: www.5countries6months.com | 1–800–233–9095
Let’s start off easy: tell me about yourself.
I grew up in Wisconsin, my entire family still lives there. I have two brothers and one sister. I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison…Go Badgers! After college I lived in China for five years as an English teacher. I moved back to America two years ago. After working and spending time with my family in Wisconsin for a year I moved out to Colorado to work in ELIC’s home office. Living in Colorado by the mountains has been amazing, and I love being able to go on weekend hikes and just look out and see them everyday. After team leading with Project 5.6 I hope to go back overseas to either the Middle East or China. I’d love to go back to school for a counseling degree one day in the hope of using it overseas.
Wow — that was a very concise way to cover a lot of ground. What is your philosophy about life and being called to various people and places?
Um…I don’t really have a philosophy about life necessarily, haha. We’re given specific gifts and passions for a reason. Andrew Murray once said “we’re called to holiness, not safety,” and even with the current climate around the world I fully agree with that idea. I don’t want to make decisions based on comfort or fear. I think we have to be obedient to what we’re called to do, we can’t be afraid to step out.
(This girl can really think on her feet!) Tell me about Project 5.6. What is it about, and why should someone join the movement of Project 5.6?
Project 5.6 is for anyone who is interested in taking part in a life-changing, meaningful adventure. It will benefit the traveler through living in community and experiencing cultures all over the world. It will also benefit the teams and people we’ll get to interact with, and it will probably be one of the most challenging things you can do. But, it will also be worth it and you won’t be the same person after. You will grow, you will change, and you will also change the world. We want to go, to serve, to learn. That is the foundation of what Project 5.6 is all about: culture, action, spirituality and team. It’s about participating in something bigger than you or me — it’s about what we can do together. It will challenge and broaden perspectives and perceptions of the world. We will learn about other people, other cultures and countries. It will help define our place in the world as individuals and a people, and guide us through vision for the future and its hope.
What is your role as Project 5.6 Team Leader and what compelled you to do it?
As a team leader I’ll be helping my team with the logistics of going country to country. I’ll help them grow and navigate life overseas through building team community, mentoring and learning about each country and culture together. One of the best parts of being a team leader is seeing your team open up and engage with each other and with the people around them. I’ll get a front row view to see how my teammates’ hearts and visions change through this experience.
While these are some perks and benefits and passions of mine, I’m going because there is a need. The work we get to do through education and service is a tangible way to help meet some of the needs we see around the world. I’m going because I want to continue to grow. Living in an intentional community will continue to challenge and encourage me to do that. I’m going because I want to be “ruined for the ordinary” and that’s exactly what Project 5.6 will do. I want to be able to look back and say that I went when I was called, I trusted in the unknown, that I saw a need and tried to meet it. I want to be a part of something that is bigger than me.
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Project 5.6 kicks off its official first tour this fall, 2016. There are still some spots available. After a beautiful week of training in Colorado, spend roughly a month in Cambodia, Vietnam, Lebanon, Turkey and Thailand experiencing life and the passion of the people in these stunning places.
For more information, visit www.5countries6months.com, or call1–800–233–9095.
