Skip to main content

June Newsletter

 SHANNON’S CORNER

Connect. Nurture. Grow.


Building connection and trust are important in any relationship and especially when wanting to create a safe place for people to share and process their stories. Sometimes with kids and teens it can take a bit of time to foster those connections and trust. A question that is implied is, “Are you safe to share my story with?” Often it is through play these connections are built.


Both families who I debriefed serve in Uganda, they serve with different organizations in the capital of Kampala, and both families are in transition. The one sibling group were ages 3, 6, and 8 years old and as I worked with them, I was able to apply some of the principles I learned in play processing. The other sibling group were ages 5, 7, 13, and 14 years old which was a bit of a challenge for me with the large age span. The main thing for all of them was saying goodbye to friends who have come and gone while they were the ones “left behind”, and for the one sibling group they are now the “friends” who are leaving, saying goodbye to pets, and even to a beloved grandmother. One of the challenges that TCKs face because of the high mobility of people in their lives, is that they go deep quickly in friendships because of not knowing how long the person or themselves will be there, and/or they self-protect, only let people see one aspect of who they are depending on the person or group of people and not their whole true self, kind of like a chameleon.


The younger TCKs loved making their emotion boxes and emotion buckets. Emotion words are the language needed to process, describe, and articulate what is happening on the inside of us. They all enjoyed the journey of grief scavenger hunt, to see the diet coke and mentos explode like a volcano, running around with a bagful of rocks or seeing how long you can hold a big rock in your hand, and being in the dark with glow sticks. Since both families are in transition with played the transition game which they loved and were frustrated with it because of rolling the wrong color and having to sometimes go backwards even when some were about to win the game. If you want to see more photos, videos, and specifics join Shannon’s Support Team on Facebook. 

$250 to go and we are at $45,000!!!


I have started a new partnership with MacGregor and Ashely Magruder who are missionaries with Field Life and serve at Tributary Retreat Center located in the Ozarks of Arkansas. These last three years they have been hosting and providing care to missionaries who serve all around the world through debriefs and different niches of life coaching. I got to know more of their story and to hear their vision for Tributary Retreat Center as I provided their first TCK debrief last week. They realized that I also do adult debriefing and that I am in the beginnings of my life transitions coaching, so, they have asked me to prayerfully consider coming and staying for a number of weeks at a time to provide TCK debriefs, adult debriefs, and/or life transition coaching. (Map shows all the countries the missionaries they have debriefed, and coach serve these last three years.)


My contact information was given to missionary who is building a working group to develop a training manual / workbook to help equip people to do re-entry work. The missionary, David, reached out to me to see if I was interested in learning more and possibly being part of the working group that he is putting together. We met via zoom and David shared the vision for developing a training manual for those who equip people for re-entry. He shared how he has used some of the material out there already and it was either not enough information or too much that it was overwhelming and unhelpful. I have read the same books and workbooks that he talked about and agreed with him. I have agreed to be a part of his team in developing a training manual / workbook which we will meet every other week to discuss what David has written, is writing, and to look at re-entry from many different perspectives and along the spectrum of re-entry, not just the initial phase of re-entry. I am looking forward to being able to contribute to this project that will help many missionaries in their re-entry journey as well as for churches and mission organizations to care and equip well their people.

 

$250 to go and we are at $45,000!!!

 

Life Transitions Coaching with Shannon:

 

Life transition coaching isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating space to explore who you’re becoming.  A good coach helps you make sense of the in-between, so you can move forward with purpose, not just momentum.  Someone this past month wanted to know and experience a coaching session, so she signed up.  If you too would like to experience what coaching is like, to try it out for yourself, then sign up for a 50-minute coaching session with me.  This is a GIFT for me as I continue to practice and learn my coaching techniques to become a better life transitions coach.


“The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:24


PRAYER REQUESTS

Praise the Lord for sweet time with the three Kirabira TCKs and using new play processing principles!

Praise the Lord for a lovely time with the four Willard TCKs and getting to meet MacGregor and Ashley who serve at Tributary Retreat!

Praise the Lord for visiting with Kent & Connie while in Arkansas!

Praise the Lord for graduation celebration!

Praise the Lord for safety in traveling!

Praise the Lord for online debrief w/ Shari who finished her term of service!

Praise the Lord for online debrief w/ Caitlyn!

Praise the Lord for the opportunity to speak at Trinity Community Church!


Pray for 2025 fundraising campaign - $250 still needed to reach $45,000.

Pray for Helmhold Family Debrief, 4 TCKs – July 1st – 3rd. 

Pray for Individual online debrief on July 9th.

Pray for speaking engagement at East Grove Church in Franklin, PA July 13th.

Pray for summer TCK Connect meeting on July 18th. 

Pray for Individual in-person debrief on July 21st – 25th.

Pray for Cherry Run Camp July 26th – August 3rd. 


     Contact Information:


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)

 

Shannon Eaton

107 Old York Rd Apt 5

New Cumberland, PA 17070

(724) 967-1437


Email:  shannon.eaton76@gmail.com

Coaching:  lifetransitioncoaching.shannon@gmail.com

fb.com/shannonreaton

instagram.com/shangirl94






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

October Newsletter

  SHANNON’S CORNER The Saga Continues… The trip to Malaysia consisted of a two-day spiritual retreat with the theme of ‘Come Away With Me’ and a six-day conference with about 230 missionaries who serve in some aspect of translating the Scriptures. One of the many people who I met was a missionary who served in Cameroon for many years and now is in a new role. As he was sharing, most his words were very negative and depressive. I encouraged him to sign up for a time of prayer and care. At the end of the retreat, this missionary shared with me that he did have a session and I could see that his whole countenance changed, and he was hopeful. His new word he used to describe where he was now is ‘delightful.’ Our time there was creating a safe space for these missionaries to have a place to share what they are struggling with and to connect with Jesus. One missionary is at a crossroads in her life. Another finds himself in the midst of betrayal. A missionary is in a new role as a caregi...
Post a Comment
Read more

April Newsletter

  SHANNON’S CORNER Be still. Be present. Behold. The prayer labyrinth is a journey that draws us closer to the heart of God with every step.  It’s a path where we listen, trust, and follow, knowing that He is always guiding us.  As we walk this path of prayer, we learn to recognize His voice, to lean into His presence, and to surrender to His direction.  It’s not just about where we’re going—it’s about who we’re walking with.  Lent this year has been a journey of walking inward toward the center of the labyrinth. Along the way, releasing my burdens to Jesus who is my beast of burden (Zec. 9:9), the One who carries what I cannot.  Arriving at the center, I find a resting place for my soul (Mt. 11:28-30) and resting in God’s loving embrace as He makes room for the new to spring up within me (Is. 43:18-19).  Now I’m journeying out of the labyrinth with the anointing of His presence and with an overflowing cup (Ps 23:5). Such an honor a...
Post a Comment
Read more

September Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. Thank you for your faithfulness in praying for this ministry.  Each debrief is a sacred invitation—a chance to step into someone’s story, even if only for a short stretch of the journey.  It feels a bit like being allowed to glimpse a painting still in progress.  We may not yet see the final picture, but we trust the One who promises to complete the good work He has begun until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). Recently, in an online debrief, the missionary shared: “ I am in a much better place since our initial meeting.  Taking the time to process my lived experience overseas and to grieve the losses, I now feel I have the capacity to move forward here in my new season of life. ” We also had the joy of walking alongside three third culture children. To see their eyes light up as their stories were received with understanding and care was priceless.  These children do not often have many who truly grasp their unique li...
Post a Comment
Read more