About DUZIE
Hi there, my name is Dan and I’m Suzie and together we’re a DUZIE.
You look a bit confused. What’s a “DUZIE” or what’s a Dan & Suzie?
Oh, you want a bit more information?
All right then, the last name is Potter of Marlette, Michigan, USA.
We have been married nearly 23 incredible years, have 2 kids, 4 dogs (only 1 living with us at home at the moment), 1 bird and a few mice, but we can’t seem to find them. Can’t seem to find the mice . . . the rest are at home . . . we think.
(Pause for strange look)
Normally? You what to know what we normally do?
Well, we are not sure this will clear up the “normally” question, but we work for an international mission called Operation Mobilization, better known, or unknown, as OM, and we have done so for 22 years and several days and a few minutes. We carry the title of “international creative teen consultants.” To be honest we are not sure what it means either. Let’s just say we love young peoople of the Next Generation - in general we are youth specialists!
Our work? Where do we work? We work wherever there are teenagers, youth workers, parents, schools or churches that ask for our help. Presently our organization serves in 109 countries, but we have only been to half of them.
Yes, half of them, why do you ask?
Well we hope we still have time to serve more if possible, but we can’t seem to keep up with “over a billion served” like McDonald’s.
(Another pause and 2 strange looks)
Do you have any more questions? Hello . . . hello!
Our work sort of has that effect on people trying to figure it out. Sometimes we just sit and stare as well.
Perhaps our 10 ROLES as a couple will bring more questions to mind, or even answer them.
1. COMMUNICATORS
“We create understanding.” We speak with 20 to 50,000 people each year. Most of the people are between the ages of 13 and 25. During the course of a year we travel to about 15 countries and communicate to at least 40 different nationalities.
2. CREATORS
“Created in the image of the Creator!” We have created over 100 dramas, produced various international programs for churches, camps, schools, congresses and ships. We also create resources by way of DVD’s and innovative products that are regularly shipped around the globe.
3. WRITERS
“We love to write!” Together, over the last 18 years, we have written 15 weeks of Christian teen curriculum, which have been used around the world. We have penned numerous magazine articles, released several training booklets, we journal everyday and will soon publish a book on generational communication called “conneXellence.”
4. PERFORMERS
“Our life is a stage!” We perform illusions, comedy, interactive theater, and music. We have a story to tell that can’t be covered adequately with only words. We don’t have to be in the spot light, but we must reflect light with all the abilities we posses.
5. MENTORS
“Come follow us as we follow Christ.” Normally we are mentoring about 16 adults around the world in the art of communication to the younger generation. We have had 46 youth workers go through our “imagiNation” schools for contemporary ministry. Our workshops have opened hundreds of doors for short term mentoring and we locally have about 10 to 12 teenagers whom we are regularly having an impact upon.
6. ARTISTS
“To let people see, or touch, or taste, or smell or hear, or to just be. . . that is the real question?” We love trying to capture our world by taking photographs, making videos, designing graphics, creating paintings, music and clothes to better express our life and love.
7. PROPHETS
“I have appointed you as prophets to the nations.” Many times when we think of the role of the prophet we think of a fortune-teller or some other kind of nut case. Well, we may a bit crazy, but we can’t tell you about tomorrow’s headlines. We can only tell you what God is saying right now to this generation and his body. We have listened and we have proclaimed God’s Word in the 50 plus nations we have worked in. We continue to do this. We have addressed the many and the few, conversed with kings, prime ministers, parents, principles, the poor, lonely, wealthy, sporty, handicapped, those with AIDS, churched, unchurched, ones of similar faith, different faiths and those who practically have no faith at all. We love declaring God’s Word together.
8. TEACHERS
“Don’t sit down and listen . . . get up and learn something!” Do you wish to better understand this generation and why they are where they are right now and most likely where they are going next? Do you wonder about yourself and your passions? Do you what to connect with people, but don’t know how? Do you what to learn skills in drama, illusion, juggling, clowning and communication? How about a simple life lesson in living creatively? These are some of the “get up and learn something” workshops we give around the world and in our “imagiNations” school for workers with the Next Generation.
9. PIONEERS
“Go east young couple.” In 1988 we sold almost everything we had and headed east. We moved behind the iron curtain to pioneer teen ministry in Poland, 2 years before the communist walls came down. It was a land full of young people ready for change and adults asking for help. Within a short time we were regularly in schools, churches, and universities pioneering a new connection to old issues. This work then spread both to the east and west and we pioneered a teen congress called TeenStreet to motivate and equip Christian teens to have a real friendship with Jesus and reflect Him in their world. Thus far we have launched congresses in Eastern and Western Europe, Southern and Portuguese speaking Latin America, India, and Malaysia. Within the next 16 months we will also be birthing TeenStreet in the Sudan, South Africa and Australia.
10. PARENTS
“Saving the best for last.” Joshua Stand Strong Potter & Josiah Create Hope Potter, are our 2 sons and honestly, the most fun and fulfilling part of our lives. Together and apart we are family. Today they not only give our work validity, but they give us incredible guidance as well. Joshua means “Jehovah or Jesus saves” and Josiah means “Jehovah or Jesus supports.” As a family the salvation and support of Jesus is our only foundation for Standing Strong in our faith and Creating Hope in our world.
Any questions now?
We are in love with each other, with people around the world and with Jesus Christ. He is the real “DUZIE,” the WOW of our life and He is the one you should be interviewing . . . everyday!
Thank You for this time we have spent Merging Souls together.
