We've been on the field for nearly a year and a half - feels like only months and yet a lifetime...
We've missed countless birthday parties and a few funerals. We have yet to lay eyes on two new nephews and a few "pseudo" nieces and nephews. We aren't involved in the day-to-day lives of our families. We don't get to go see a house that sister is considering buying. We haven't met the new boyfriend. We don't get to help clean up mom and dad's yard after the big storm or shovel out the car for them.
Our children are growing up without family bearing witness. We left the USA when our second youngest child was still a baby. He will visit the USA as a talking child complete with his own well developed personality. We'll visit the USA in a few years with two new children who will experience the USA and our friends and family for the first time.
This separation from family is so difficult. Missionaries miss weddings, funerals, babies, graduations. In this modern era of missions, it's not like the olden days. As a missionary kid in the 80's and 90's, we called my mom's parents once every 6 months and rehearsed a script beforehand. My mom returned to the USA when her father's health was failing but we all missed the funeral. Now, we skyped with my parents the day that Micah was born and they "saw" him on their own computer screen. We can call on the phone, email, facebook, blog, skype - all with "immediate" feedback and results. We can know the second Sis goes into labor and can pray in real time for our little nephew.
We are thankful for all of this technology, but it can never replace BEING there.
Pray for your missionaries:
1) Pray that the family bonds would strengthen over the miles.
2) Pray that God would provide clear communication lines when it's most important.
3) Pray that God would comfort in times of sorrow.
We've missed countless birthday parties and a few funerals. We have yet to lay eyes on two new nephews and a few "pseudo" nieces and nephews. We aren't involved in the day-to-day lives of our families. We don't get to go see a house that sister is considering buying. We haven't met the new boyfriend. We don't get to help clean up mom and dad's yard after the big storm or shovel out the car for them.
Our children are growing up without family bearing witness. We left the USA when our second youngest child was still a baby. He will visit the USA as a talking child complete with his own well developed personality. We'll visit the USA in a few years with two new children who will experience the USA and our friends and family for the first time.
This separation from family is so difficult. Missionaries miss weddings, funerals, babies, graduations. In this modern era of missions, it's not like the olden days. As a missionary kid in the 80's and 90's, we called my mom's parents once every 6 months and rehearsed a script beforehand. My mom returned to the USA when her father's health was failing but we all missed the funeral. Now, we skyped with my parents the day that Micah was born and they "saw" him on their own computer screen. We can call on the phone, email, facebook, blog, skype - all with "immediate" feedback and results. We can know the second Sis goes into labor and can pray in real time for our little nephew.
We are thankful for all of this technology, but it can never replace BEING there.
Pray for your missionaries:
1) Pray that the family bonds would strengthen over the miles.
2) Pray that God would provide clear communication lines when it's most important.
3) Pray that God would comfort in times of sorrow.
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