I also had an enlightening conversation with Michelle Phoenix, an MK advocate in my podcast, “Loving Missionary Kids Well,” where we discussed the unique challenges that MK’s face including additional stress, perfectionism, isolation, anxiety and depression, as well as the many benefits and gifts MK’s gain through their time overseas including a heart for ministry, …
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Sadly, compassion fatigue is an occupational hazard for those in helping professions like missions or social work. If you’ve developed compassion fatigue or vicarious trauma as a missionary, there is nothing wrong with you and you shouldn’t feel any guilt. These are simply the byproduct of the sacrifices you’ve made to be with people in …
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A life interrupted. That’s what this feels like. Re-entry is close to my heart because mine was so unsettling. When I left Uganda in 2013, I’d followed a plan. I had the goodbye celebration, like so many global workers right now haven’t. I got to hug my people and cry. I got to revel in the victories. Still, leaving …
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I’ve realized in my work that when you want to serve people the way they want to be served and you’re not sure how to do that, it’s best just to ask. It’s amazing how validating and soothing the simple words, “What do you need?” can be. To this end, I’ve created a brief, 5 minute …
I have a confession. I love being alone. This might sound strange to people who gather that I’m an extrovert from my personality, because I love engaging with people and hearing their stories. But the truth is, I’m an introvert. I’m an extroverted introvert. Yes, I’m one of the weird ones, which means I’m often …
It was 2006 and I was sitting in a dimly lit room in Rwanda listening to a female genocide survivor tell me her story of rape and torture. Most of the time her face remained distant, as though she was recounting something that happened to someone else. A fly buzzed around the office table. I could …
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“The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet.” -Naomi Remen- I remember after a long, hot day in Uganda, sweat seeping through my shirt, after spending hours in the hospital with …
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One of the problems of being an Enneagram Type 2 “Helper” personality, is that I often don’t know how to ask for what I need. I walked into a grocery store the other day to buy another pregnancy test that would turn out to be negative, and the clerk laughed and said she’d sold four of …
I’m the kind of girl who likes to be prepared for everything. Before I leave for a trip, I print out a detailed spreadsheet of my packing list so nothing is forgotten. (Except for my pillow, which usually is) On the flip side, I love adventure. But I like to plan for adventure. There’s nothing more …
