With holidays abroad, time with grandparents, parents, cousins, aunts and uncles becomes limited. Relationships can become distant. We have to work harder to keep the connection and make the effort to keep in touch.
But on the flip side? When holidays roll around, we’re somewhat on our own, choosing if we want to celebrate with friends or teammates, church members or other people from our community.
Sheri Kretzschmar serves in Guatemala as a missionary nurse with Health Talents International. She and her colleagues work with the local Churches of Christ, conducting mobile medical clinics in surrounding communities–where together, they demonstrate Jesus’ compassion.
Sheri lets us lean over her shoulder during an uncharacteristically busy surgery week of patients from local villages.
Let the surgeries begin!
photo credit imb.org
By Anonymous
“Don’t you want me to become a Christian?” It was a question thrown out like an accusation. “I want you to become a Muslim.”
Since COVID-19 left me stranded in a remote part of Tanzania, I’ve been bemoaning the items I left behind.
First, I missed the comfort foods, a certain pair of shoes, an extra skirt. Then one day I realized that I was on my last few anxiety pills. As my supply dwindled, any of their positive effects were undone by my mounting fear of surviving without them.
Editor’s note: We’re stoked to feature this post from another one of Go. Serve. Love’s round table partners, Support Raising Solutions. (Yes! That organization is a thing.) In our quest to present you overseas fully-funded, we’re hoping to open the discussion about a money mindset that gets you there.
Here’s what Support Raising Solutions has to say via Steve Shadrach, their founder and the author of The God Ask.
One benefit of my kids growing up overseas is their rich experience of another culture. My kids absorb elements of the adopted country in an organic way. They often see the world with a different perspective from someone–even an adult–who hasn’t left their home country.
I love that my kids have adopted certain aspects from Egypt: They have favorite Egyptian foods. They wash their hands after eating, and believe tissues are reasonable as napkins at the table. My kids know how to say “thank you” to mean “no” if they don’t want something being offered. I love that three of my kids write and speak some Arabic and understand even more.
In our efforts at Go. Serve. Love to help you in arriving well overseas, we’re posting from one of our partners, the all-new Mission App–which allows you to search and apply to 30 agencies with one app, and one application.
Check out their thoughts below on how set yourself up for a smashing start overseas.
