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You know you are a Third Culture Kid when...

 SHANNON’S CORNER

September 2021

You know you are a Third Culture Kid when…Your life story uses the phrase “Then we moved to…” three (or four, or five…) times.


You know you are a Third Culture Kid when…You can’t answer the question: 

“Where are you from?”


TCK Identity

I had the privilege of working with seven precious kids and teens, ages ranging from three to sixteen.  I was honored that they opened up their “heart packs” to me as we processed through their experiences and how it impacted their lives and the feelings attached with them.  Each one had a story to share about their experience of living overseas and returning to the states.  


We did many activities and art projects to help elicit their story so that they could process their emotions.  One activity that all the kids and teens enjoyed was a journey through grief.  They had a map of where they were on reality mountain and had to get to springs of new normal but had various places to visit to reach the springs.

A Journey of Grief
It was sort of like a scavenger hunt as they had to find the different stations scattered around the house and grounds.  At each place we did a small activity and talked through some things that they may be feeling in this grieving process from all that they have lost.  This activity took time to show them that grief is a process and a journey.  It takes time and that is okay.  When we finished the journey, the kids and teens marked the map with a post-it where they identified themselves in the grieving process.  


Grief Tower Timeline
At the end of each debrief, we had a time of talking as a family.  This is important because each family has their “Together Story” as well as each individual story.  It gives space to hear what the kids and teens have done during their debrief and if any of kids want to share about what they have learned.  The kids and teens had their parents do a few of the stations of the journey of grief.  I then had a separate meeting with the parents for them to ask any specific questions concerning their kids and for me to especially thank them for the privilege of working with their kids and teens.


I was asked to be a group facilitator for the Velvet Ashes Fall Connection Group.  I missed the deadline to reply but said I would be willing to help facilitate if they still needed anyone.  They needed a facilitator for their WhatsApp group so I said I would be willing to facilitate that group of women.  Velvet Ashes is an online community of missionary women as a way to connect with other women serving across the globe.  I have three women in my group, one who is from Finland serving in Thailand, one who is from the US serving in Malawi, and one who is from the US serving in the Dominican Republic (eastern).  


Cultural Transplant/Transition Bridge

BCM Peru:  Our training was canceled due to some conflict of schedules.  Hoping to reschedule the training in October.  They are still planning on the mission’s trip to Shipibo, Peru which is located eight hours up the Amazon from the jungle city of Pucallpa.  There will be three BCM missionaries, five seminary students and two volunteers from October 3rd-13th.  Be praying for funding, safety in traveling and for them as they share the gospel message to the children.


SPADE International-Hope Inn

I am always amazed by how God orchestrates things for his children.  In meeting Duane Brown at Cherry Run Camp who filled in sort of at the last minute to be our camp missionary that we struck up a conversation.  In that conversation, Duane shared about the possibility of helping to fill in some missing gaps right now in their member care department.  I had a few meetings with OMS, the member care director and the learning and development director.  But then God had Duane reach out to me about a possibility of partnering with him in his ministry with the churches in teaching and training them in member care.  The more Duane shared his thoughts and ideas the more I became excited about the possibility of partnering together.  This has been an idea and concept for me when I first started in member care with Kids Alive International.  How both the mission agency and the sending church can work hand in hand to provide care for their missionary.  I am looking forward to seeing where God wants to use me in this ministry with OMS and Duane.  


“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, 

to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; 

perplexed, but not driven to despair; 

persecuted, but not forsaken; 

struck down, but not destroyed”

2 Corinthians 4:7-9


PRAYER REQUESTS

Praise the Lord for the online debrief went well!

Praise the Lord for the TCK debriefs going well!  The kids did a lot of work in processing their feelings!

Praise the Lord for continued healing of my toe as I can now wear tennis shoes!

Praise the Lord for being part of a women’s Bible study!

Pray for BCM Peru mission’s trip to Shipibo Community Oct. 3rd-13th.

Pray for planning & preparation for OneLife Institute Retreat with staff and students Oct. 18th-20th.

Pray for planning & preparation for Member Care Training ABWE Oct.25th-27th.

Pray for wisdom and discernment as I meet 1:1 with people at Water Street Mission in Lancaster Sept. 29th. 

Pray for me as I am facilitating a Connection Group of Missionary Ladies with Velvet Ashes for 10 weeks via WhatsApp. Come & Rest (Mt. 11:28-30).

Pray for wisdom and discernment as I partner with One Mission Society (OMS) – more information to come.


Donate Online! (Follow the prompts) 
www.WorldOutreach.org/783

 

Mail Checks:

  World Outreach Ministries, Inc.

  P.O. Box B

  Marietta, GA  30061

  (Make a check out to WOM & in memo or in a note write Shannon Eaton #783)

 

Bill Pay:  free option via your online banking

  (Use the same information for checks)

 


Contact Information:


Shannon Eaton

5055 Stacey Drive Apt. 1604

Harrisburg, PA  17111

(724)967-1437

 

Email:  shannon.eaton76@gmail.com

Facebook:  Shannon R. Eaton

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