This is a tribute to my five children and to all missionary kids who are often the unsung heroes of missionary life!
Our 5 missionary kids at Awana headquarters in Streamwood IL
Over the past Nine months we’ve drug our kids literally from sea to shining sea, traveling over 10,000 miles in our little mini-van, visiting dozens of churches and staying in many people’s homes. There were times my kids would have loved to stay home with family, times when they probably didn’t want to hear me preach the same sermon again or listen to our missionary presentation for the 53rd time! There were certainly times when they would have loved to do anything other than sit in the car all day as we rolled across endless farmland and plains in the Midwest.
Yet, they endured! They stuck with us, and for that alone they get my respect!
Just a couple of weeks ago we gave our ministry report to our mission board. I brought the kids up and introduced them. After our report the board gave us a round of applause, that was nice. But what they did next really surprised me, they turned round and gave our children a round of applause! That was unexpected and amazing!
My children really appreciated it and told me “Wow, that was so nice that they clapped for us!”
That applause got me to thinking a little about my children’s experience as missionary kids. I want to share with you 17 reasons why missionary kids really are awesome!
1. It was their parents who chose to live the missionary life, not them, yet they willingly go!
2. They make new friends faster than anyone, even if they know that they’re leaving tomorrow and will probably never see that person again!
3. They can sleep in any bed or not in a bed or in the car!
4. They gracefully endure their parents missionary presentations hundreds of times!
5. They’re not afraid to stand up in a church service where they know absolutely no one and introduce themselves!
6. Every time they visit a church in the States several people come up to them and tell them how little they were the last time they visited, they smile politely at the strangers!
7. Even though they’d rather stay home and hang out with their friends they willingly go on excruciatingly long road trips with their parents to visit people they have absolutely no memory of!
8. They learn a new language better than their parents, whether they want to or not!
9. They are effective and bold in sharing the gospel with their friends on the playground and at school.
10. When someone asks them where they’re from, they have to ask for an explanation of the question before they answer because there’s at least four possible answers!
11. They “get” to visit many places in the world when they’d probably rather stay home and be a normal kid.
12. They learn to develop a relationship with their grandparents over Skype!
13. They know that going to college probably means living several thousand miles from their parents and they won’t be able to see them for Christmas and other holidays!
14. American culture is a foreign culture for them, but they learn to adapt.
15. No one really understands how they think and who they are besides other missionary kids.
16. “Home” for them isn’t a spot on the map, it’s the few people in their lives who are the closest.
17. Finally, after all is said and done, many of them choose to be missionaries themselves and that’s just plain incredible!
Bill (cycleguy)
July 29, 2014I’m not a missionary. I have two PK’s whom I highly respect. I have always admired MK’s because they are doing something their parents actually chose. Way to go you 5! You have my utmost respect. And if your dad can say what he does about you, well, I reckon I will trust him to tell the truth. 🙂
Caleb
July 30, 2014There are some similarities between PK’s and MK’s, mine are really both, since I am a pastor too. I am also a PK, so at least I can sympathize with them on that. Btw, did you read Barnabas’ Piper’s book about PK’s? It’s a revealing read.
Bill (cycleguy)
July 30, 2014No I haven’t read it. I have seen it but with both my girls being adults I have not been too interested in reading it.
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup
July 30, 2014I am so proud of your family, Caleb! Thank you for the sacrifices you all have made for His kingdom. May God continue to bless you all.
Caleb
July 30, 2014Thank you Heather! We’re just coming to the end of this long trip and I think our whole family is really looking forward to getting back to Ukraine!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup
July 30, 2014You are in our prayers!
Floyd
July 30, 2014I think they’re awesome and God chose them to be in the shoes they’re in. I think they’re learning to be awesome through the efforts of our Father and that work in their mom and dad as well. You should be proud! My hat’s off to your kids, Caleb.
Caleb
July 30, 2014When it comes down to it, I’m thankful for God’s grace in raising my children. Being a missionary certainly doesn’t make you a perfect parent!
Rick Dawson
July 30, 2014I think *your* kids are awesome, well-mannered, and amazing examples of how God can teach us oldsters new things about that “come as a child” stuff Jesus spoke of. You model Jesus well, and your children reflect that love back.
It was an absolute pleasure to meet you and Christina, Naomi, Mishael, Noelle, Anastasia, and Nickolas yesterday, and please come back through when you come back to the States again.
Caleb
July 30, 2014I’m glad you had a chance to meet our family Rick! It was a pleasure. Can you believe that we made it to Rushmore yesterday? We got their in time for the evening lighting and flag lowering ceremony. It was a moving experience.
Steven H.
July 30, 2014I found myself feeling so proud as you described your children—and they’re not even my kids!
Caleb
July 30, 2014Thanks Steven! I have to admit, they’ve been good travelers!
Maureen Ray
July 30, 2014When I read the list of how they are I know I could never have been a missionary kid. They are privileged to have been born into your family. Surely they have been chosen by God to be a representative of His Word. You and Christina are surely the most excellent teachers and excellent parents. Both of you are very far removed from the way Mark and I have been. May the Lord keep you all safe in Jesus name.
Caleb
July 30, 2014Thankfully God gives us all special grace to do the tasks that he calls us to! Thanks for your encouragement Maureen!
Maureen Ray
July 31, 2014Dear Caleb
I note that the Russian speaking Eastern Ukrainians do not want the West to bother to pursue this conflict. They said: “Why don’t they leave us alone we simply want to be left in peace”.
That deeply saddens me for their plight.
I do not believe the West should force them into submission.
Scotland is to vote for their Independence very soon from England.
My heart then says YES but my head says NO. I believe I would still follow my heart. Scotland needs to be free.
All my young life I treasured the idea of “being free from the English.” The last battle fought on Scottish soil for independence was at Culloden.
The Battle of Culloden (Scottish Gaelic: Blàr Chùil Lodair) was the final confrontation of the 1745Jacobite Rising. On 16 April 1746, the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart fought loyalist troops commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. The Hanoverian victory at Culloden decisively halted the Jacobite intent to overthrow the House of Hanoverand restore the House of Stuart to the British throne; Charles Stuart never mounted any further attempts to challenge Hanoverian power in Great Britain. The conflict was the last pitched battle fought on British soil.[4]
Since then, all these years later the fiercely patriotic Scots have not been forced to adopt English attitudes and beliefs. Frankly, I do not think anyone of us would ever be able to change our love of Scotland. If any strong resistance was mounted to force us to do away with all that it means for us to be separate from our heritage would fail.
Below is the way I still feel today and sometimes my heart aches for my homeland. I live in Australia but I don’t belong.
The poem below expresses the thoughts of every Scot very well. When I stepped into the Airport reception area in Edinburgh in 2012 strut high above, and from one side to the other, were the words WELCOME HOME SCOTS – it still makes cry even as I type these to you.
I comfort myself that I am getting ever nearer to my real home with Jesus,
AND I am very blessed the Lord has found for me a truly loving husband who loves Jesus and His Word and where my heart is safe.
(1758-1796) Written by that well known Scottish Bard Robert Burns
Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,
The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.
Chorus.-My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;
Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.
Ken Miller
July 30, 2014What blessing it is to see the Grace of God displayed in this way. The whole is only as good as the sum of it’s parts and the shared commitment, sacrifice and oneness brings praise to the Glory of His Grace. Blessings to you all in the name above all names! Praying with you as you return to the Ukraine for a fruitful season of ministry.
Caleb
July 30, 2014Thank you Ken!
Dave Arnold
July 31, 2014Good post… I love the adaptability of your kids – this is evident of God’s work in their lives. Awesome!
Caleb
July 31, 2014In general it seems to me that kids are usually more adaptable than adults, that’s something we can learn from them.
Dan Black
July 31, 2014Great advantages Caleb. I like the fact that missionary kids are able to travel and have all the experiences that come with that.
Caleb
July 31, 2014Yes, our kids do get to travel a lot! Sometimes they enjoy it and sometimes they wished they could stay home. On this last trip we visited Yellowstone, Devil’s Tower, Bear Country USA, Mall of America, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Mt Rushmore, Battle of Little BigHorn and a few other places!
Ngina Otiende
August 1, 2014You have the most awesome kids, Caleb and Christina! My home church in Kenya is a missionary planting and it took coming to America to understand what it means to leave everything here and cleave to God’s plan and bring up a family on the other side of the world and have all your kids fall in love with Jesus and some continue with the work of ministry. It’s completely amazing. You go kids! 🙂 Blessings to you and your fam.
Caleb
August 1, 2014Thank you Ngina! I does change your perspective once you start living in another culture doesn’t it.
Grace Palm
August 1, 2014This is amazing. I can relate to every single one of these! I passed it on to the rest of the Palm clan. Thanks for writing this!
Caleb
August 1, 2014I’m sure you can relate Grace! Thanks for passing it on to your family. Say “Hi” to them from us.
Grace Palm
August 1, 2014Will do!
mkPLANET
August 2, 2014Your kids certainly are awesome, and it sounds like they have pretty awesome parents too. 🙂
I stumbled across this excellent article on Twitter, and I’ve forwarded it to our followers! We run an online community for MKs, their families, and care workers. We’d be pleased for you and your family to check us out. We’re running a giveaway right now, and anyone can enter to win!
Caleb
August 2, 2014Thanks for forwarding my post, I appreciate it! I’m going to check out the site that you run.
Elise Palm
August 2, 2014Caleb, this is so great! Thank you for writing it! I laughed and cried… 🙂
Caleb
August 2, 2014Elise, you certainly know what the life of an MK is like! Thanks for reading the post.
Betty Draper
August 2, 2014Of course I agree with your assessment of missionary kids. One of the things that attracted us to New Tribes was how many missionary kids came back into missions as an adult. Their eyes had affected their hearts for the lost all over the world. They fully understood the cost it takes to be one yet they believe the eternal value is more important the them temporary values set by the world. I remember when Ace, told our children he was going to show them the world. Their world view is bigger and because of that they are flexible adults and think of others. We have never been sorry and they had never been sorry we took them to the mission field. Great post brother..
Caleb
August 2, 2014Betty, I spent 3 months at the New Tribes MK school near Manaus, Brazil, so I know well the lives of those MK’s and I have much respect for them!