MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Location: file:///C:/9E740E93/PovSimPreparationFAQs.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Dear Youth Pastor/Parent/Participant:

Dear Youth Pastor/Parent/Partic= ipant:  Greetings in the Name of our Lord = Jesus Christ! 

Here= are some responses to frequently asked questions about Poverty Simulation:=

 

HOW DO WE DESCRI= BE THE DETAILS OF MISSION WACO’S

POVERTY SIMULATION WEEKEND FOR INFORMATION AND MOTIVATION?

= 220;If You could embark on an incredible journey into the Hea= rt of God would you choose to…

  • trave= l out of YOUR cultural com= fort zone?
  • follo= w in the footsteps of cour= ageous adults and youth numbering in the thousands?
  • under= stand the plight of a large ma= jority of fellow humans who do not have the same choices as you?
  • test<= /span> yourself  about what you know and don= 217;t know about God’s heart for the poor? 
  • feel<= /span> for just a time what many others across the world feel every day of their lives?

If so, then the POVERTY SIMULATION WEEKEND IS FOR YOU!

 

WHAT DO WE BRING?

You will pack for a simple weekend retreat, including a sleeping bag if you like.

WHAT IS THE WEEKEND ABOUT?=

God’s heart for the poor, compassion and bringing about the Kingdom on Earth.

IS THE WEEKEND SAFE?=

You will never be alone.  You will ALWAYS be supervised.  You will be safer in this weekend = than you would at your local mall.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?

To glimpse things about yourself that you did not know a= nd would not necessarily choose to know.

WILL I BE MISERABLE?=

You will need to pack a good attitude and have a desire = to know your Lord and Redeemer in a deeper way.  When you love someone you know what breaks their heart.

WHAT WILL I EAT AND WHERE WILL I SLEEP?

You will always have a choice of necessities, such as fo= od and shelter.

WHAT AGES CAN PARTICIPATE?=

14 years old and up - You need to have completed the 8th grade.

IS POVERTY SIMULATION JUST FOR = YOUTH OR COLLEGE STUDENTS?

            &n= bsp;   Not at all!  Poverty Simulation is for all ages = of adults plus high school youth.  Come = with a teachable heart!

WHY DON’T YOU ALLOW JUNIO= R HIGH STUDENTS?

The weekend requires thought processes and focused conversations which would bore someone younger than 14 years old.  Attention spans need to be longer.=   But, great news, we have other thi= ngs for junior high students to do.  Work projects, play therapy with kids, King’s Clubs and Street= Camps – see the “Training & Mobilization” section of www.missionwaco.org for separate w= orkgroup reservation information.

WHAT IF SOMEONE HAS A SPECIAL D= IET OR NEEDS MEDICATION?

No problem!  This person will need to bring items for the special diet and their medications.=

CAN WE BRING A CAMERA?

            &n= bsp;   Yes, one digital camera is allo= wed per group.

CAN WE BRING A CELL PHONE TO RE= CEIVE EMERGENCY CALLS FROM PARENTS?

Yes, the group leader may leave a cell phone in the Pove= rty Simulation office, and he/she will be allowed to check it periodically throughout the weekend.

HOW SAFE IS THIS WEEKEND?<= /o:p>

You and your group will be safe here because you will ne= ver be alone or without adult supervision – (youth group members will alw= ays be with at least one of the group’s adult chaperones).  This is the program director’= ;s neighborhood and she has lived here for 30 years and knows ALL of her neigh= bors!  Do you know all of your neigh= bors?

WHAT IF SOME OF THE GROUP CANNO= T COME FOR THE ENTIRE WEEKEND?

Then they should come on another weekend when they can s= tay the entire time.  The weekend = starts at 8 p.m. sharp on Friday night and ends on Sunday at 2 p.m.  Only 42 hours long!   So… you need to leave your town on time to get here on time.

FOR YOUTH GROUPS, HOW MANY ADUL= TS SHOULD WE BRING?

            &n= bsp;   Please bring one adult for ever= y 5-7 youth – they will participate in Poverty Simulation along with the yo= uth.

WHAT ARE THE DETAILS OF THE WEEKEND? 

            &n= bsp;   The weekend is designed in a structured experiential learning approach.  The feedback we receive from peopl= e who have attended Poverty Simulation is that the impact of the weekend is great= er when the participants do not know the details.  However, it is very important that= all participants know they are attending a Poverty Simulation that will be a ch= allenging and hard weekend.  You are wel= come to share this FAQ sheet with anyone.  Group leaders or parents may contact us with additional questions, but we ask that you not circumvent the learning process for your teens by giving them the details ahead of time (surprisingly, some parents think this helps the teen through the weekend, when in fact it is not helpful at all).

SOME OF OUR YOUTH GROUP PARENTS= ARE HESITANT TO LET THEIR TEENS ATTEND – IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN TELL TH= EM TO HELP THEM MAKE THE DECISION?

500+ people a year attend Poverty Simulation at Mission = Waco and have done so for the past 20 years.&nb= sp; We have seen many, many lives changed as they understand more fully Christ’s love and compassion for the poor and marginalized.  Hopefully by the time parents have= read through this Frequently Asked Questions sheet, they will have enough information to determine if Poverty Simulation is appropriate for their teen’s maturity level at that time.&= nbsp; If not, then perhaps suggest to the parent that they wait a year or = so until they allow the teen to participate.&= nbsp; Regardless, we encourage parents to also attend Poverty Simulation a= nd experience it for themselves!=