Third Culture Kids - Missionary Kids
An area of concern for many missionary families is our children. Kids growing up overseas have rich experiences, but sometimes battle such things as loneliness, not fitting in when coming back to the ‘home’ country, not being able to define what the ‘home’ country is anyway, identity and self-esteem. Here are a few resources that might be of help. If you would like to speak to other families with TCKs/MKs, please feel free to contact us. You can also check out this excellent website for more info on MKs.
International MK Care Network
As MK group leaders, care workers, parents and everyone else with strong ties to the MK life, we do our best to celebrate and support MKs. Together we focus a spotlight on MK issues in writing, plan events such as camps and retreats, coordinate MK college clubs, lead MK Facebook groups, act as counselors and resource support people, and work for MKs and their families in many other ways.Visit the International MK Care Network
mk Planet - is a growing community designed and run by current missionary kids (MKs) and adult missionary kids (AMKs) as an active community providing information, interaction, and support. Membership is free, which benefits everyone. But the main advantage of being a member is that you become part of a community of people who understand the experiences you've gone through as an MK.
TCKID: A Home for Third Culture Kids and Adults (TCKs) - TCKID is a Non-Profit Community Dedicated to Give Third Culture Kids/Adults and Cross Cultural People a Sense of Belonging.
Cross Cultural Kid - TCKID is a Non-Profit Community Dedicated to Give Third Culture Kids/Adults and Cross Cultural People a Sense of Belonging.
Where To Meet Others - Want to meet Third Culture Kids? Find your local support group in over 50 countries from Tokyo, Japan to NYC.
a 'wikipedia' of tck research - Are you planning to do research on TCK's or interested in gathering data on their experiences? We are aiming to make the data as comprehensive as possible to help us understand what Third Culture Kids and ATCKs go through, what issues they have, how they cope, and how prepared parents or organizations are to deal with them. The data will not just be limited for use for the professionals who help create it, but will be available to any group, university and organizations dedicated to help TCKs.
Interaction International - Interaction is committed to:
* Meeting the needs of Third Culture Kids (TCKs) as children and as adults with families
* Meeting the needs of parents who are raising and educating their children overseas
* Assisting international schools as they educate and care for TCKs
* Equip those people who work with and within the expatriate community
* Being a catalyst and a resource in the developing of programs and services to better meet the needs of internationally mobile families and TCKs.
Read the blog from Interaction International, on TCK issues
TCKLeaders - A leadership and volunteer network. Bringing talent together. Are you interested in networking with others in your field? Do you want to use your talents to make a difference in the world of TCKs?
* Connecting counselors
* Finding mentors
* Helping organizations network
* Volunteering opportunities
Practical Ideas for TCK Care
Creative ways to mobilize your church - 27 ways to bless TCK’s
Care in a Can - Mailing times: Christmas, Birthday in a Box, Easter, Graduation (care packages designed for particular age groups/needs)
Resources for Missionaries Worldwide
Resources for Caring for Missionaries
Missionary Care brochures online
TCK's - A video documentary special about Third Culture Kids and their journey to find where they belong. directed by Aga Magdolen edit by Kalen Hayman like this film? Join our facebook group
Resource Facilities
Link Care Center - Fresno, CA - Provides numerous services to missionaries and their organizations. These services range from the Restoration/Personal Growth program, to training and consultation services, to crisis debriefing services.
Alongside – Richland, MI - A nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide professional spiritual, mental and emotional care to missionaries and their families, to the end of promoting personal wholeness and ministry effectiveness. Its 2.5 week Renewal and Growth Sabbaticals are offered monthly.
Compass House is a Christian group home for young adult Missionary Kids (MKs) who are returning to live in the US after living abroad, especially for those whose parents are still living overseas. Compass House is a non-profit organization that is completely dependent upon the gifts of God's people to operate. It is located on the grounds of D & D Missionary Homes, in Pinellas Park between the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida.
Barnabas International – Rockford, IL
Orientation: American culture – the good and the bad, college life, friendships and dating, finances, and social customs, recreational outings, professional athletic events, the beach, amusement park.
Assessment: Personality tests will help to assess your personal adjustment and identify growing edges.
Adjustment: Christian educators and counselors, with a heart for missions and a love for teenagers, will encourage and guide you in addressing areas for personal, social and spiritual growth.
Challenge: Daily chapel, evening dorm meetings and informal chats with staff and fellow MKs will challenge you to trust God more fully and give new insights towards effective Christian living.
Catholic Resources For Missionaries and Sending Agencies - Longmont, CO - Workshop topics:
Telling the story: A process of telling the story of the mission experience.
Integrating Mission experience: A time for reflection on the gifts of the cross-cultural experience which are now brought to mission in the home culture.
Re-entry: A surfacing of trends in the North American society and Church, sorting out the feelings from one’s return and looking at the response to that reality.
Skills assessment and goal setting: An assessment of individual skills and help with setting short-term personal goals to incorporate the cross-cultural experience into the next phase of the journey.
Networking: Cross-cultural missioners learn of resources and groups available to help in this time of transition, as well as in living mission in this culture.
TCK Books, Periodals, DVDs and CDs
Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds (revised edition) — by David Pollock and Ruth Van Reken. “A Cross-Cultural Kid (CCK) is a person who has lived in—or meaningfully interacted with — two or more cultural environments for a significant period of time during developmental years.”
The Global Nomad’s Guide to University Transitions — by Tina Quick - “TCKs are a wonderful kind of different. Their international upbringing has given them a broadened world view, a unique skill set, a bevy of languages, and incredible experiences.”
Home Keeps Moving — by Heidi Sand-Hart - Home Keeps Moving follows Heidi and her missionary family on their many moves through the eyes of a Third Culture Kid (TCK) and the unique phenomena of having four very different home countries to relate to. It tells the true story of being catapulted from continent to continent constantly: leaving friends and starting all over again, her unquenchable search for a home and sense of belonging in this world, her desire for a life-partner with the odds all but against her due to constantly relocating (even into adulthood). You will laugh and cry along with Heidi as she recounts hilarious and heart-breaking tales from her childhood as West blends with East.
Among Worlds magazine (from Interaction) - Discounts available for agencies purchasing bulk subscriptions.
Building Your Raft CD - Guides viewers through one of the essential steps to successfully preparing children and adults for transition. Note: this CD is for personal and family use and NOT for training purposes.
Exit Right – Enter Right DVD - is designed for training and extended learning. This video is divided into four sections: Reconciliation, Affirmation, Farewell and Think Destination. It includes worksheets and practical ideas to help process the transition experience.
"Families on the Move: Growing Up Overseas and Loving It!" by Marion Knell. It addresses many of the central topics for families: TCKs, transitions, preparing to go, educational options, re-entry, etc., in a user friendly style – not trying to cover everything but helping families know what the questions should be and beginning to answer them. It even includes questions for discussion by parents (and with older children) in each chapter. Available through different websites.
Raising Resilient MKs: Resources for Caregivers, Parents & Teachers by Joyce M. Bowers (ed.) (Downloadable book)
Fitted Pieces: A Guide for Parents Educating Children Overseas by Janet Blomberg & David Brooks (eds.)
or get the CD here
"Off We Go: An Activity Book for Children (Age 3-8) Going Overseas" by Hwai-Bing Pwee & Polly Ho – from OMF Hong Kong. It’s available on a CD and is freely reprintable.
"Don’t Pig Out on Junk Food: The MK’s Guide to Survival in the U.S." by Alma Daugherty Gordon also has some good resources. Available through various websites.
MK Caregivers Conferences
MK Caregivers Consultation that meets at the Avant mission guesthouse facilities in Kansas City (sharing of ideas and resources with others in MK Care ministry as well as learning from guest facilitators). The dates for the 2010 conference are April 6-9. Donna Messenger is the contact person. Donna is a member of Barnabas International, she is on the planning team and will be coordinating the registration information. If you have questions about the MKCC 2010, please feel free to contact Donna at messengerd@barnabas.org
MK Caregiver Training Seminar - is offered by Interaction International in Colorado Springs each year.
To: Home Schooling
