Is a MK Missing Out on Life?
Need for Friends
This has been particularly true in our family. Since we have been on the mission field, we have home schooled our children. For the most part, it has taken place in Malawi. And when I say “we”, I mean my wife has home schooled our children. One blessing that has been so evident is the need for friends that missionary children have. God has given our children many circles of friends that go way beyond their culture and help them develop socially. They started out with having friends in the church, four children in particular: Joe Jr., Gloria, Blessings, and Chimwewe (Joy in English). They are children of two couples who have been in the church from the beginning. Their and our kids did everything together around the church. We would visit their homes and they would visit our home. In the beginning, their English wasn’t great but they grew. Also it was a great chance for my girls to learn how to teach others. Children are fast learners and they learn the best from each other.
More Friends
God also blessed my wife and two other missionary wives with the idea to start a home school group. Originally it started with 5 home school families taking turns once a month to share lessons with the group, now 3 years later there are 15 families and all types of activities shared. Again God gave my children another large circle of friends many of whom are American MKs. Also we gained many friends and help from brothers and sisters in Christ.
Yearly Visit
Lastly, is the great blessing of coming home to Baltimore every year. In missionary circles, the idea of going back to America every year is unheard of and impractical. Usually they go back on “furlough” ever 3 years. Although the expense is great, we look at it as a faith journey every year.
Spiritual Investment
God is so faithful to always provide for us to come back to Baltimore and soak up the fellowship. We look at it as a necessity. The Baltimore experience would not be complete without a visit to Camp Life. Although it delays our trip back to Malawi, it is well worth the extra time to invest spiritually in our children. For the past 3 years, God has used so many precious saints to make sure that our kids go to camp. And they talk about it the whole next year. We are so thankful to the youth leaders who lay down their lives to make this time memorable.
Delight yourself in the Lord – Psalm 37:4
Please pray:
- New church plant at the end of the year in the northern city of Mzuzu
- The next school year for Julie and the girls: Julie will continue to home school, but we will begin to raise the money for a fund for the girls schooling. By grace
we can raise their tuition money for school year after this. - 2 Great MBCS students will be joining us for the upcoming year, pray for their time, protection, and great impartation of the Spirit.
