Arts Leader meetings, Dallas, Texas

When I talk about the work I do as an ethnomusicologist with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Papua New Guinea, people often ask how many others are doing similar work throughout the world. When we joined Wycliffe in 2000, there were only about 10. The department that was then called "Ethnomusicology" has since broadened out to "Arts," and many more people have joined the team. Nearly 40 people are now assigned in some area of the arts within Wycliffe. Not all of these people are ethnomusicologists (though several of us do have our doctorates in ethnomusicology); some people focus on dance, drama, visual arts, or other arts domains.

It's rare for a group of us to be together in one place. When that does happen—usually at a conference many of us attend—it's a really joyful time. There are a lot of people in the world who I wish were my next-door neighbors, so that I could see them all the time. A large number of the people on that list are my fellow Wycliffe arts specialists. I'm grateful for those rare times that we do get to see each other.

Last week was one of those times. The International Arts Leadership Team (those who coordinate arts work within large geographic regions—for example, I am the Pacific Area Arts Coordinator) met together at the International Linguistics Center, in Dallas, Texas. In addition to sharing reports on current happenings and issues in our areas, we focused our discussions on strategic planning and professional development. In particular, we worked on designing a common format for individual growth plans—for ourselves, and especially for those we supervise and mentor on the field. We want to help guide people towards further development of professional and personal skills, through field work projects, continued education and training, and regular reflection on long-range goals. We found that such growth plans will always be highly individualized, rather than a universal, standardized form, but we also created a general outline of skills and competencies that will help each of us construct the most appropriate format.

I was really encouraged by our time together. It's a special treat to be with a group of people who share similar interests, skill sets, and experiences. Our common ground leads to times of great encouragement and frequent hilarity. Though the work we accomplished may sound more like dry, dull business than a grand call to “go into all the world,” even these necessary business tasks can be refreshing and inspiring.

The Key Building at the International Linguistics Center—home to the International Arts Offices