Prepare to Launch: Praying for Missionary-Kid Graduates

Suzanne Pearson • Aug 01, 2022

If you’ve ventured into an American WalMart or Target recently, you know that “Back to School” time is upon us here in the U.S. But even in TEAM ministry areas around the world, “missionary” kids are preparing to launch into their next adventure after high school. Some plan to attend college or university in the U.S., Canada or abroad. Others will enter the workforce or begin a new missions journey of their own. Regardless of the chosen path, change is both exciting and challenging.

For this month’s Prayer Focus, we invite you to lift up TEAM’s MK high school graduates and their families as they enter a new chapter. Here are seven ways to pray for our missionary-kids-turned-adults and their families:

1. PRAY for MK graduates who are still discerning their next step.

For many high school graduates, regardless of where they grew up, it can be incredibly daunting to answer the dreaded question everyone is asking them: “What are you doing after high school?” The uncertainty of God’s calling can be compounded for missionary kids who are not sure where “home” is. PRAY for the Holy Spirit to guide and direct the path of graduates still seeking out their calling.

2. PRAY for graduates to use the skills they’ve learned on the mission field.

In many ways, MK’s have an advantage over students born and raised solely in a Western culture. Their familiarity with people of diverse backgrounds makes them well-suited to interact in a new environment. Emily is a TEAM staffer who grew up as an MK in Indonesia and Malaysia . She remembers how her missionary experience helped her when attending college at Carson Newman University in Tennessee. “I learned fast and adapted,” says Emily. “I had a worldview that others didn’t, and I easily worked in different group settings.” Pray that MK graduates can draw on their unique experiences to adjust quickly, interact well with others, and succeed in their new community.

3. PRAY for graduates to appreciate this new season of their lives, especially if it’s a stepping stone to something else.

Some MK’s transitioning into adulthood are anxious to start their career or mission work right away. However, college or a training program must often come first. Mark and Gretchen , TEAM workers in the Czech Republic , have “launched” three adult children and their youngest daughter leaves for university in Ontario, Canada in the fall. “It can be a challenge for some missionary kids to settle into the place where they are for this season of life, knowing there are other places in the world that they would also like to be,” Gretchen shares. PRAY for MK grads to trust God’s timing and the place God has them “for such a time as this.”

4. PRAY for graduates to find Christian community wherever the road takes them next.

Just like any young adult leaving home for the first time, MK’s must separate from the friends and support system they know and love. Peter grew up in Japan where his parents Jon and Tammy serve. “I’ve learned to be comfortable wherever I am and feel like adjusting to new circumstances comes easy for me,” says Peter. On the other hand he adds, ”Moving from place to place made it hard to really build deep friendships. I look forward to building deeper relationships in college.” Pray for God to create divine appointments for MK graduates to meet and meaningfully connect with new friends.

5. PRAY for graduates to have peace and confidence when they feel anxious or homesick .

Emily remembers being excited to start college in the U.S., but also nervous and shy. “I wasn’t up on pop culture and had not experienced all the things kids in the States had during high school,” she shares. “I started my freshman year with no car and still trying to figure out the [U.S.] dollar amounts because they were all the same color instead of being multi-colored!” Pray for MK grads to navigate new cultures and new experiences with a sense of humor and the peace that passes all understanding.

Cue the tearful dorm room or airport goodbyes – sending your “baby” off into the world is never easy!

6. PRAY for MK Parents as they “let go” and entrust their new graduates to the Lord.

For many of TEAM’s global worker families, they are sending their graduates to school or work thousands of miles away. While the transition can be bittersweet for moms and dads, Mark and Gretchen are proud and excited for their daughter because they know she’s ready. “As parents, we really appreciate the help and advice we’ve received from TEAM as we’ve raised our kids in another culture,” says Gretchen. Pray for graduates’ parents to have a smooth transition as their kids leave home.

7. PRAY for the siblings of graduating missionary kids.

Several of the TEAM missionary families we spoke with have younger children still at home and mentioned how the upcoming transition may affect them. Most MK’s are very close with their siblings. Many are homeschooled or live at boarding schools with or near their siblings. Thus when an older brother or sister leaves for another adventure and destination, it can be very lonely for the younger kids left behind. Pray for graduates’ siblings to find their new normal without big bro or sis just down the hall.

Thank you to all our TEAM audiences for remembering our TEAM global workers in prayer! And in whatever lies ahead for all our TEAM MK graduates, we wish you and your families many, many blessings! TEAM Member Care is here for you each step of the journey!

Click here to download a printable copy of this month’s Prayer Focus, with additional prayer requests from the field!

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Loving Like Jesus Cross-Culturally (Part 1)

By Megan Lunsford • 23 Apr, 2024

When seeking to serve cross-culturally with an authentic love for others, there’s no better example for us than Jesus. If we sat around a table and threw out the question, “How do we love like Jesus?” I think we would have several commonalities as we respond. For example, Jesus loved all people right where they were. He loved those who were deemed the least, those hardest to love, or those who were His enemies. These are all beautiful realities of the heart of Jesus. When we step into relationships, it can be easier to take on the warmer, more gracious gestures of Jesus’ love, especially in cross-cultural relationships. Think about it––when doing life with those who look and act differently than us, we are already out of our comfort zones and would rather keep things as simple and familiar as possible. But there are other facets of Jesus’ heart we often overlook that can transform us and others even more into His likeness. Jesus is love because God is love. Everything Jesus did was out of love; it’s the mere definition of who He is. As followers of Jesus, He calls us to the same: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John:7-12) Every display of love we offer to others is an opportunity for them to encounter the ultimate love of the Father. That’s a pretty big deal! In this article, we’ll look at three expressions of Jesus’ love that we tend to overlook when engaging others cross-culturally. (Next month, we’ll look at three more.) 1. Jesus loved sacrificially. Everywhere Jesus went, crowds followed Him. We even see times in Scripture where Jesus had plans to step away for time alone but those who were hurting found Him and He had compassion on them and stayed with them. Can you imagine rarely having any time to yourself but, instead, constantly being surrounded by crowds of people wanting help from you? Jesus loved sacrificially. He welcomed all who came to Him with love and compassion, never turning anyone away. “When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) In the same way, we can make room in our lives for Jesus to bring sacrificial interruptions which, in His eyes, are orchestrated encounters to transfer His love to others. It can be tempting to be so “on mission” that we are full steam ahead and find ourselves frustrated when the Holy Spirit sends an interruption into our path that we feel we don’t have time for. Or, perhaps, we have scheduled a meet-up but it’s the norm in another culture to be 30 minutes or an hour late. We anxiously think through how it will affect whatever we have planned next. While it’s normal to feel a little stressed, what if the very "interruption” standing in front of you was really a divine appointment sent by God? Or what if that person running late experiences how peaceful and gracious you are in adapting to their culture and therefore, they can encounter a beautiful display of Jesus’ love? To truly represent Christ, we should remain ready and willing for each assignment the Lord sends into our path, no matter the cost or how much we will have to re-route our day. He is always a hundred steps ahead and will work all things for His glory and our good. 2. Jesus loved by discerning each situation well. Think about how many situations Jesus had to respond to on a daily basis. We read in Scripture that there were lines of people waiting to be healed by Him, talk to Him, hear His teachings, or simply touch the hem of His robe. Jesus was fully dependent on His Father to discern each situation before addressing it. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) Another temptation we can have when in a relationship with those God has sent us to is to think we already know the solution or what God wants to do before we’ve even asked Him. We believe we are full of knowledge, so we just pull from the bank we have stored within and go with it. However, when we access what is familiar to us as our default, we risk missing out on a God-given solution that might truly be the key to unlocking whatever challenge is in front of us. What does this look like when interacting with others? We can simply ask, “God, what is on Your heart for the person standing in front of me?” Then we listen and respond as He speaks. When we make it a daily habit to pause and hear God’s heart for each situation before responding, we are guaranteed to be effective in loving those around us. He knows the heart of every person that will cross our paths. Imagine how impactful we can be if we first lean on His wisdom and discernment before moving forward. 3. Jesus loved by speaking truth. Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. If we are honest, this conversation makes us a bit nervous as none of us would be comfortable with Jesus calling out intimate details of our lives that we would prefer to hide. But Jesus went further than just airing her dirty laundry. He offered her the hope of the Gospel and a relationship with Him - a divine fulfillment that could never be found in an earthly relationship. Jesus modeled a powerful example of loving others well cross-culturally. He took the low place and spoke truth, truly out of love––speaking to her heart from His. Like Jesus, our goal in sharing the truths about Him and His Word is to bring hope and satisfaction through Him alone. When we speak truth from Scripture, we are calling others higher into all God has for them. The tricky part here is we should avoid speaking truth if it isn’t first fueled by compassion. If it merely comes from a place of judgment, condemnation, or self-righteousness, it will fall flat 100% of the time. But if it truly comes from love, you are likely to not only win a heart back to the Father but, like the story of the Samaritan woman, even an entire village! If you see someone living outside of God’s best for their lives, ask God to show you your heart before engaging theirs. Once your heart is properly postured, you can speak truth out of an overflow of God’s love and trust Him for a transformation in their lives.

Hospitality, Help, and the Hope of the Gospel

By Suzanne Pearson • 16 Apr, 2024

TEAM Canada provides warm welcome and trusted friendships for diaspora populations living far from their native countries. As TEAM Canada workers Peter and Ruth (names changed) drive from their home to a nearby community center, they pass numerous apartment buildings and townhouses. Most of the families who live there are immigrants. They’ve left their countries of origin due to political unrest, trauma, and other difficulties. They’ve left family, friends, homes, jobs, and personal wealth behind. They search for peace, justice for the oppressed, and rest from fear and weariness. And as they adjust to a new country and a new language, they are often very isolated from others around them. “The sad reality is most immigrants are never even invited inside a Canadian home,” says Ruth. Peter and Ruth and their team try to change that reality. For the last nine years, the team, which includes workers from partner organizations as well as volunteers, has held English classes at the community center. Three days a week, over 60 students from more than 20 countries come together to learn English as well as to fellowship together and receive practical help in assimilating to a new normal. Meeting Needs and Building Trust That practical help may come in the form of procuring furniture, clothes, or dishes for newcomers, assistance with creating a resume and finding a job, or teaching people how to navigate Canadian laws and the medical system. As these tangible needs are met, relationships are built. “We invite them into our homes for meals and games,” Ruth shares. “We take them on hiking trips, picnics, outings, and out for coffee.” This is particularly important in this type of ministry because most immigrants come to Canada from cultures that value hospitality. Conversely, Canadians do not typically prioritize hospitality and consequently many newcomers feel lonely and isolated. Inviting folks to various gatherings and outings allows the team to spend extended time hearing people’s stories, struggles, hopes, and dreams. When she speaks about building friendships, Ruth’s heart for the people she serves is evident. “Hearing their stories, it’s easy to love them, and many have become close friends,” Ruth says. “We recognize the value of steady one-on-one relationships.”