News

Did not try to insulate me from the local culture, sent me to local schools

Andrew Visser

31

France

1. They made holidays very special to us as a family

2. They always helped us to see we were exactly where God wanted us to be and they never complained about being missionaries

3. They included us in the ministry so it was our ministry and not just theirs.

Jill (Peters) Watkins

30

São Paulo, Brazil

They made life as normal as possible for us.

Michael Reeves

48

Alaska

They take me with them overseas whenever possible.

Rachel Kerr

20

Bibles International

This is an odd question.  I never felt that there was a need for my parents to “make my MK experience easier or more enjoyable.”  I believe that I had a very happy childhood “experience” and I could only hope my son and future kids enjoy their own as much!  I did memorize my dad’s furlough sermons so maybe changing those (2 or 3) up a bit might make things more interesting.  (Maybe they could have had more Skippy peanut butter shipped to us!). 

Karin Ruhkala Sicoli

32

Finland

1) We get to travel a lot in the summer

  2) Other simple things which wouldn’t make sense listing:)

Rebecca Smith

15

Londrina, Parana- Brazil

1. They allow us to turn down opportunities

 2. We can go to camps and fellowship with other kids

Rachel Smith

16

Londrina, Brazil

Well they don’t really have to, I LOVE it!  Sometimes it’s hard but they pray for me every day and it helps a lot.

Abigail Jewell

16

Sorocaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Helped us feel part of the ministry

Made us part of the decision process

Shared the blessings and struggles of the ministry

Mark Seymour

53

Chad, Africa

We were involved in the ministry (music, youth group, camps)

We went to Italian school and to an Italian music school.

Our parents modeled a servant’s heart.

Joshua Whitman

27

Italy

They provided all the love and support required for me to live as normal and pleasant of a childhood as possible, under the circumstances. Family activities such as walks, hikes or playing tennis with my dad were common and most enjoyable.

Daniel Ruhkala

31

Finland

They take me out to see the many different areas of Europe. They help me keep in touch with my friends and family all over the world.

Clinton Ellis

17

Germany

Include me in the work.

Spoke mostly Dutch to me (since I went to school “in Dutch”).

David Boyd

49

The Netherlands

One thing they did was to take advantage of home schooling to teach us about both Australia and America.  We learned about Australian and American history, both kinds of measurement systems, both kinds of monetary systems, and we used both American and Australian curriculums.  They wanted us to be able to adapt to both cultures.  All this could not eliminate the culture shock of moving from one country to another, but it did help practically for me to adjust to life in either country.

We were much too far away for our extended family to join us for holidays or birthdays (except when we were on furlough), but I never felt like I missed out on much.  We had our own family traditions that made those days special for the four of us.  We would also tape the events and then send the cassettes to our relatives, so that they could feel like they were with us (I am sure my parents still have all those old cassettes, and it can be embarrassing to listen to them!!).

Australia is so far away that each plane flight was a major ordeal, usually lasting about 36 hours, including layovers.  Mum would make sure that we had well-stocked travel bags.  Months before the trip, she would start buying stuff to pack in our bags, or hiding some of our favorite old books and things, and most of it we would not see until the day of the flight.  It would be almost as good as Christmas, opening the bag and discovering all the new puzzles, games, puzzle books, story books, and snacks that she had packed for us!  We were never bored on those long, long flights across the ocean.

Anna Beth Wivell

25

Australia

They don’t turn me into a circus performer during furlough.

 A lot of people expect me to be a missionary when I grow up but my parents have never expected that of me.

Hannah Stilwell

16

Peru

They let me visit my friends a lot.

They took me on trips.

Holly Syroteuk

20

Canada

I really liked living in Venezuela so there was not really a need to try and sell to us the need for being there.

Daniel Darling

26

Venezuela

-Mom tried to make every place feel like home, hanging up familiar decorations and making memories.

-Mom made my sister and I notebooks that we could collect postcards in from the different places that we visited.

Lisa (Brammer) Bolton

27

Taiwan/New Zealand

They always tried to include us in everything, they encouraged us to become friends with the Brazilians, and they always encouraged us with the time that they would just stop and do something with us.

Leah Ronk

20

Brazil

1. My parents involved us in church responsibilities which made me feel more a part of things.

2. They made our trips to the states consistent and for a year at a time to see family.

3. My mom didn’t make us feel like charity by making us wear missionary closet clothes and hand me downs that were worn and old fashion.

Michelle (Stinedurf) Williams

36

Puerto Rico

Visit interesting places while traveling.  Accentuating the positive & no psychological babble about “what we are missing”.

Philip Harris

37

C.A.R.

Showed me the joy of serving the Lord and loving Brazil and the Brazilian people.  I felt that if I was “obedient” enough so they could stay in Brazil, I had a part in the souls they won to Christ.

Joy Spieth

62

Brazil

Hold Bible studies, make American foods.

Christopher Armstrong

14

Russia/Siberia

1. They get me a tutor so I can learn the language easier.

2.  They always save some time for us.

Corey Armstrong

12

Russia/Siberia

1. We always stayed together as a family – even traveled together on furloughs.

2. Home-schooled when village schools were un-accepting of white MKs.

Lisa (Richter) Armstrong

35

Alaska (as MK)

These aren't in any order:

1.    They kept us at home instead of sending us away to an MK school.

2.    They got us involved in ministry.

3.    They frequently took us along on their travels.

Mark Swedberg

43

Brazil

Bought a permanent house in the states so we felt more at home and secure.  We knew where we were going to live.  They let me get involved & have friendships in Africa.  They took me on road trips (my dad did) even when it was more convenient to leave me home with mom.

Victoria Lynn (Elmer) Meerman

31

C.A.R.

My parents never acted like being an MK was any big deal.  It was what we were, it was what our life was.  They never came across as trying to make it "easier", because it wasn't a hardship.  Except for furlough times.  At those times my parents tried to "catch up" on fun experiences we would have had if we were raised in US - or maybe they were just trying to keep our lives as full in US as on the field.  Whether in US or Brazil, there was always an unconscious emphasis on family times.  Those are the times that have created lasting memories.

Darlene (Reiner) Smith

54

Brazil

a.    My parents were always an open ear to listen to whatever we were going through... this was crucial (even if they didn't have an answer, I knew I'd been heard).

b.    They let me be as Dutch as I wanted to be (within the confines of what God allows)... even when I learned the language better or learned a dialect they didn't know.

c.    They made furloughs enjoyable... planned stops and activities that let us blow off steam (furlough is tedious for kids without that).

Daniel Boyd

26

The Netherlands

We would drive to the beach, play games.  We had a parrot, a monkey, and dogs.

Bill Griffin Jr.

58

Brazil

Help with allowing their children to be able to experience things you would never get to experience in the U.S. growing up.  Allowing and encouraging them to cultivate friendships with people from other cultures and countries.

Tim Lankford

38

Manaus, Brazil

Play my flute, get free piano lessons, park cars and pass out tracts for the Notre Dame games.

Karis Giegerich

15

No. America

Park cars and pass out tracts for the Notre Dame games, let me play soccer.

James Giegerich

13

No. America

Sometimes my parents let me play video games; bike rides around the cottages.

David Giegerich

8

No. America