Intentionally Missionalናሙና

Attending to Those Closest to You

What happens when you go into your kid's room and notice they have been crying? What do you do? What do you say?

We could have quoted scripture or given him a pep talk. But it didn't feel right. So, we did what we knew best to do. My husband and I came into his bedroom and asked what was wrong. We sat, waited and told him that we wanted to hear him out. We wanted to make sure he knew we cared and were available for him.

As we listened, we heard these words, "I miss my friends ever since we got to Cambodia." Words so simple, yet they ripped at our hearts. Why? Because you can't help but feel responsible for his pain. After all, we were the ones who took him away from his friends and brought him here.

Now, our kids have made friends, and if you were to see them here, you wouldn't really know they were struggling. They look quite normal and, in many ways, happy. They laugh, and they talk to kids at school and in other places. They even go out with friends and play well with other kids.

But that does not mean they are not missing their friends back home. It doesn't mean they don't miss their hamster, best friends and of course Chick-fil-A! And it doesn't mean they don't feel left out from what their friends back home are doing.

As we sat there and listened to them, we told them that we could empathize because we share some of those same feelings. We asked how we could help them feel more connected to friends back home and help them build new connections here. Then we hugged them and told them how proud we were that they were so courageous to be here with us and how well they were adjusting to such a different culture. We also asked others who know and love them to pray for our kids and reach out to them as they are co-laborers with us. 

This encounter with our kids brings me back to how Jesus was with those closest to him. While He was active in preaching, teaching and healing others, he was compassionate and patient with his disciples. He did not ignore their questions, worries or fears. He was present.