why I love working with TCKs

Sometimes I sit back and say “I love my life”. Not because I’ve got all the goods. Or because I’m in love. But because God has blessed me with a ministry that fits me.


All my life I have wanted to be a missionary. I love culture. I love people. And I love to travel. Now I’ve entered the adult world and you guessed it, I am a missionary. But, my “mission field” is not what I expected.

TCKs or third culture kids are those that are from one culture, grow up in a different culture, but are not fully part of either.- yet can take identity in both. They form their own identity- in this case TCK. This can refer to missionary kids, kids of foreign aide workers, immigrants, refugees or anything of the sort.

At BCA we have only TCKs in attendance. Our school is in Mali and our entire student body has moved from a different country to live in Mali. We have students who are from: Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Benin, Senegal, England, Brazil, United States, Cameroon, Chad, and South Africa.

  

But that doesnt tell you why I love working with TCKs…

1. I can learn about the world without having to leave my home or classroom. I have learned so much about life in Brazil- yet I never lived there. I have seen how Senegalese raise their children- yet I have never stepped inside a home. I have tasted Korean food- yet I didnt even get on a plane. The world is brought to my door. I also learn about different holidays and get to celebrate along side others. This year I learned of the fun of Guy Fawkes night- aka BONFIRE :)

2. I love seeing how the Bible can bring people together. I have been leading a girls Bible study for the high school students and although we study in English- I have girls from England, The United States, Germany and Ethiopia. As we dive into the word together and discuss it is fun to hear different understandings, yet the unified word of God.

3. I love the fun that comes from the intersection of cultures. Any given day we can be playing mancala (an African game) in French and English with three different sets of rules (maybe not at one time, but over the course of different games.) Just the other day I had a car ride where we spoke a combination of French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Bambara in a 10 second time frame! Phew- that’s exhausting!

4. I get to provide a safety net and a stable environment. On a serious note- this is also a very vulnerable group. The loss of identity and challenge of fitting in can cause stress and tension in school and home- especially during times of transition. Although TCKs have expose to many different cultures, there is a risk and tendency to idolize one or the other and that can lead to trouble. Missions, schools and parents can take steps to enable healthy environments, but it can be rough for some people.

I love that I can be part of this process- and provide a classroom environment that builds appreciation for each others culture, but also a place to develop transferable skills to make the transitions smoother. Outside of the classroom I love to have students over to play games and watch movies- in other words be the kids and teenagers that they are.

Over all, I know that each person’s identity must be found in Christ alone. Living overseas- or even just moving-can strip you of the identity you think you have. By teaching all my students that Jesus is the only constant in their life- and one they can trust- I know they will do alright. It’s rough at times, and fun at times. I am so blessed to be where God has put me and it is a privilege to be a light to all my awesome TCK’s!