Article: May 2024
The family is a unit and should prepare for the mission field as one.
It is often Mom and Dad’s obedience to God’s calling, to pursue ministry overseas, that leads the family to make a major life-change for everyone. So, when kids are told that they are going to move to an unknown country to pursue ministry (that they may not even care for…) it can be difficult. Sacrificing the friends and activities that they love as well as the only home that they have known can be a lot for them to process. Yes, it may be exciting to see new people and places, but that excitement will fade with time. They soon begin to miss their friends and familiar things, such as their room, toys, and books. They will have to adjust to new sounds and smells in an unfamiliar environment as well as learn a new language, relationships, and social interactions at a stage that is pivotal in their development.
At CIT, we have a heart for TCKs. Many of our staff were TCKs themselves or are parents of TCKs and can empathize with the struggles of TCK’s at every age because they went through similar experiences. Many kids often feel left out of the process of transition overseas. At CIT, we want every kid to feel a part of the process and be included in their family’s move overseas. We are here to listen to them as they share their struggles and frustrations. To help them understand and adjust to the struggles of moving overseas and to teach them resilience. To empower and help them feel confident during a season of so many uncertainties through stories, fun, and food – kid’s three favorite things. We use games, movies, field trips, cooking lessons and playtime to widen their worldview and teach lessons on different cultures.
We are grateful to live in an age where more research and resources are available for TCK’s. We use that research to continually refine our curriculum to be age-appropriate and match what the parents are learning in their own pre-field training. We also help families think through the needs of their children during this critical time and give them tools to have a balanced approach to ministry and family life.
Hear from one of our TCK parents:
“My kids loved their time at CIT and I’m just amazed at what they were able to accomplish. Looking through all their books and resources they received at CIT is leaving me in AWE of what CIT has taught them and how God is preparing them to go into the mission field as a family. I’m amazed that they even did their schoolwork with them and even more amazed at the worldview they learned from CIT. THANK YOU!!”