Alas, the bags are unpacked and the summer interns and EPIC (Executive Pentagon International Diplomats Congress) interns are settling in to their new homes for the summer at George Washington University. Pictured above are my fellow EPIC interns Kyle (K-Liebes), Dave (D-Dawg), Me, and Kim (Kimmie).
When I first got to Washington DC, I was a little apprehensive; I had no clue what my job description entailed, didn't know any of the people in charge, had only briefly met the team leaders in Colorado Springs, and had a lot of question. However, the kickoff dinner with the staff team dispelled a lot of the worries and gray areas. The team leaders all have strong relationships with the Lord and it's evident with the way they speak and live. I could spend hours soaking in their wisdom of the Scriptures, and hearing their stories about ministry on Capitol Hill. Such a neat group!
Once the student interns started arriving to DC, we took them to West Virginia for a bonding adventure that included a bonfire, team building activities, a low ropes course, good food, and paintball. For my first time paintballing, I was proud of one particular hit I had. Our team was on the bottom of a hill and I was "sniping" the other team's defensive area during Capture the Flag. I aimed carefully and popped off a shot and a yellow ball of paint hit an opponent squarely in the back. Unfortunately, Graham (nicknamed "Gent" for his Southern Genteel personage) had already been hit and was supposed to be off limits as a target. He said in his southern drawl, "I'm already out guys, stop shooting me!" Welp...my bad. :)
Our focus this summer is Identity in Christ. We will be living together, eating together, studying Ephesians together, and really zeroing in on that fact that apart from Jesus, we have no other identity. I'm looking forward to getting to know all the interns better and dig into the Word with them. I'm expectant that the Lord is going to use 13 interns from all over the nation, 4 team leaders, and the rest of the EPIC staff to really be a light for Christ in the most powerful city in the nation.
I was reading Psalm 58 this morning and it seemed like a reminder of the world we're stepping into. "Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge uprightly among men? No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth...Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be." Yup, sounds about like Capitol Hill. I pray that the Lord strengthen and protect our team, allowing everyone to be skilled and hard-working despite opposition they may face.
