I've been there

Our son LOVES "Lightening Mcqueen". This is the double garage he build for Lightening (with a little help from dad).

Without doubt one of the hardest things about being a missionary is when your children suffer as a result. Praise God that nothing major has happened to our children but we’ve heard enough stories from other missionaries to be wary.

I was reminded again today when Lisa recounted our eldest son saying that he didn’t want to go back to school because some kids were saying things to him. Apparent he gave them his “frown” in return. He’s usually happy to go to school the next day so we aren’t worried. If there are ever tears or real determination not to go then we’d be much more concerned.

We’ll never truly know what’s happening at school with our children. Not only because we are not there with them, but half the time we can’t understand what the teachers are telling us either. It’s another thing we let go of and place in God’s hands not because we are super spiritual or the like, but because we have no other choice.

I guess I have one leg up over some other missionaries, because I’ve been there - I’ve been in the situation which my son is in almost 30 years ago as a 5 y.o Korean child moving with my family from Korea to live in Sydney Australia. Backing in 1981, though unthinkable now, my brother and I were the only Asians at our school. We knew we were different, there was no mistaking that. In someways our kids blend in a lot better than I did. It would be worse if they were blond and blue-eyed. I saw our team leader with his kids the other day at the shopping centre and they get a lot more attention (cheek squeezing, stares, pointing) than ours do.

I also appreciate first hand now, what my parents must have gone through enrolling me in school with limited English and having to feel out forms and do all sorts of things they would have had no clue about. Will my kids have the new found respect that I have for my parents now in 30 years time I wonder?