I stand at the entrance to the airport with my arm around her. Four of our children slide backpacks and trunks through scanners, turn for a last wave goodbye. One, for the last time. He’s graduating from their boarding school this year. Mine won’t get that old, will they? I counted, on the drive to [...]
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When you start to pick your nose in public, you might be too cheap for Kleenex. Or you might live in a really dry, dusty place and need to dig that one out before it makes you bleed. Or you might be overdue for a break. When you (if a native English speaker) start to [...]
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I posted a note on Facebook about a language lesson and received this comment, “Are you still studying language? I thought you’d be fluent by now.” Ouch. It has been more than a decade. What’s my problem? I can make a list of excuses. I speak two, sometimes three languages. I had two-year old twins [...]
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Expatriates are told to prepare for Culture Shock and expect to experience it within their first year. But what about after that year? What about after seven years? Nine? Fifteen? What about the frustrations and tears, hurt and stress, internal (or external) cries for ‘home’? What about those days when you will do anything to [...]
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Hudson Taylor said it, David Livingstone said it. “I never made a sacrifice.” A life spent as a foreigner, away from traditional comforts, away from family and home country, a life of talking about Jesus, in these men’s opinions was no sacrifice. While I understand the sentiment and the faith-filled valor behind it, I respectfully [...]
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