I was sitting in my living room this morning, idly gazing out through the glass of my front door as my neighbor across the street helped her toddler put her shoes on, when a thought struck me. I might be here to see that little girl grow up. I sat […]
The Rabbit on the Moon and the Language of Sound
I was sitting in my kitchen the other night in Cambodia, staring at my bathroom door, and it occurred to me: the bathroom, of course, has a three-inch threshold. You have to step over that to get in. This detail of architecture is so ubiquitous I never stopped to think […]
Guiding Young MKs: Adventuring Out of the Fortress
It’s a unique thing, growing up in a country where you look different. In the previous post, “Looking Different,” I explained what it’s like for many missionary kids who live in countries where they are in the extreme ethnic minority. It can be hard to deal with the realities of […]
Guiding Young MKs: Looking Different
Many missionaries in my circles serve in countries where their family is ethnically different from the nationals of that country. A lot of these missionaries are citizens of Western nations where the population is a lot more multi-ethnic than the country in which they serve. What does this mean for […]
His Hour Had Come to Depart
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17 In our little Sunday School class we recently covered the weeks […]
It’s Baffling Being Bilingual
I grew up with two languages, Khmer and English. My first word in Khmer was the word for “banana,” ចេក, and my first word in English was “cup.” I think of being bilingual as having two language trees growing in my heart. One tree is English. It is a strong, […]
Home Away from Home
I recently returned to the United States after a year on the mission field. I grew up on that mission field, so it is coming to the U.S.A. that is always a bit of an adjustment. When people say, “Welcome home!” it usually doesn’t compute. However, when I was standing […]
Forever a Foreigner?
It was the day of opening ceremonies for the new school year. Every student stood in the dusty school yard, dressed in white shirts and black or blue pants/skirts. The late morning sun beat down hot on the branches of the huge, spreading tamarind trees that overshadowed us. Several speakers […]