Those "Poor" MK'S

By Lori Smith

Do you remember as a kid having wild fantasies about trekking through dense jungle trails and seeing a breathtaking view of green, spiked mountains? The dream might include sliding down stony paths to the river's edge and cooling off in an icy river. Perhaps your idea of a great adventure includes building forts reminiscent of Swiss Family Robinson using banana leaves, papaya trees, and other unusual materials. Maybe the excitement of worldwide travel and exploration of historical and international sites of interest allures you.

These "day dreams" are realities for our kids: Rachel, Rebecca, Ruthann, and Andrew. Not all MK's live on a tropical island paradise like my four, but each MK has a special story to tell and a special opportunity to be reared in a multicultural environment. Our children were quite young when we went to Papua New Guinea, so they grew up with an extended family that included a variety of skin colors and many diversities of language. Our neighbors whom our kids love as aunts and uncles live in a grass hut with a dirt floor! They have few "worldly possessions" by American standards, but our kids have learned the value of people is NOT their possessions, but their hearts!

Our kids experience being part of their parents' occupation every day. Bill and I teach in a Bible college. Since we live on the college campus, our kids interact with the students and their families in ways that bridge cultural gaps we adults find difficult to cross. Our kids partner in our church planting ministry as we visit neighboring villages and teach in the church. Many times our kids have better acceptance as teachers than we do; they touch the hearts of their peers in deep and real ways. In the medical clinic our kids learn compassionate evangelism and medical skills. The clinic is one of their favorite places to be each afternoon after homework is done.

As a family we share the heartaches of those who turn away from God and His offer of salvation, and we rejoice in seeing God move in people's lives through stressful and difficult situations. They have seen God meet our daily needs. We would not trade the opportunity to rear our kids in the missionary "fish bowl" for all the McDonalds' and shopping malls in the world!

Do our kids feel deprived by living in a Third World country? Just ask them! The children recently gave my husband and me some cards that touched our hearts more deeply than words could describe. In various ways and words they said, "Thanks for letting US be MISSIONARIES in PNG."

"Those poor missionary kids" who live without Pizza Hut and amusement parks really don't feel too deprived. How do I know? My husband was an MK from Papua New Guinea, too, and look where he ended up!

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