Happy New Year! Praise God for bringing us through 2001. It was a year with lots of challenges, but God was good! We look forward to what He has planned for us and trust His grace to meet the challenges of 2002.
Our topic this month is Preparing for Your Overseas Assignment. Five ladies contributed their advise on this topic.
The first and most important preparation for your overseas assignment is your relationship with the Lord. Don’t get so busy that you neglect your Bible reading and prayer. If you take time to quiet yourself with the Lord, He will guide you in your preparations and give you the grace for the changes ahead. Be sure and ask for prayer for yourself and your family as you are packing and moving. This is a time when extra prayer support is so helpful.
Learn All You Can
In order to know more specifically what you will need when you arrive at your field, gather as much information from as many different people as possible. Susie mentioned the importance of getting in touch with nationals as well as ex-pats. They have different points of view and their perspective will help you get a clearer view of what you will need. Ask about living conditions, things that are available locally, schooling options, ministry ideas, and so on.
Be sure to ask about acceptable, as well as, comfortable clothing. In west Africa, slacks were never acceptable, even in our own home. In southeast Asia, ladies usually wear slacks to evening meetings and dresses on Sunday. Although we were in the tropics, during a few weeks each year in west Africa, it was cool enough at night to appreciate a blanket on the bed.
Kay suggested buying on the field, rather than shipping household furnishings. They used what they could get in the country and didn’t plan to ship it to other countries or back home. This made their home seem more normal in the eye of the local people. It gives you the opportunity to see how other people furnish their homes and learn new styles of interior decorating, too. If you are going to a lower economic region, you can probably furnish your house cheaper than you could ship your things from home. (Editor’s note: Your best source of information is someone who lives in the area you are going to. In some areas, in order to have a reliable way to cook and store food, you must ship appliances from your home country.)
Choosing What to Pack
Linda said she slowly got rid of many of her children’s toys before the move. She would sell them or give them away a couple at a time so they were not really missed. They never had a problem with missing their “things.” Linda said this same method worked well for them when returning for furlough.
With the money Linda received, she invested in a Brio train set which was portable and could be added to later by folks sending gifts. When we first went out we bought a large bag of Lego blocks at a garage sale. They were worth their weight in gold! Lego blocks can become anything.Our boys built all kinds of other toys out of their Lego.
Laura said they brought some “extras” that made their new house feel like home. They took their son’s bedspread with cars and trains on it, his bike, and some other special toys. They had his friends “watch” some of his larger special toys so they didn’t have to sell or give them away.
Angie said one of the things that made their transition easier was their decision to take their hobbies along. She likes to scrapbook and so she stocked up on supplies so that she could still enjoy that hobby on the field. Her husband loves music and computers so they took their collection of CDs and some computer games. Although you will be quite busy on the field, you will still have quiet hours to fill. It helps to have some familiar things during those times.
Angie said she was glad they took along some holiday decorations, too. It was nice to have some of the same ornaments to hang that she had since childhood. Angie wished she had brought more holiday food supplies like canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce, and spices for baking. Bringing some of those food supplies with them, at least enough for the first year, would have made the holidays easier.
A better stock of medical supplies was on Angie’s list. She and her husband were hit with illnesses and injuries in the first few months on the field. Because they didn’t speak the language, getting the right medications was difficult to impossible. A wide range of medications including pain relievers, antacid, diarrhea medication, and antibiotics are recommended. If you take enough to last until your first furlough, then you will know better what will be needed for the future.
Personal hygiene supplies may be something you need to stock up on. You may not be able to buy what you are used to using, even if you go to a developed country. Also make sure you have enough makeup to last until your next furlough. Even if they have your brand, they may not have the color you are used to using.
Take along picture albums. Include extended family, homes you might visit while on furlough, pictures of the seasons, local stores, post office, bank and so on. It is amazing how quickly small children will forget. Review the pictures from time to time so that life on furlough is not a total shock to them.
Now a few ideas for packing for the journey. Kay let each of her young children pack a small carry-on, one they could carry themselves. This gave them something familiar to play with during the trip. Susie prepared ahead of time some small presents to give her young children along the way.
Arrival on the Field
On arrival, Linda makes the effort to set up “home” as quickly as possible. She unpacks and settles her children’s things immediately. The rest of the house may be a shambles, but when the children’s space is arranged everyone is happier. It is worth the extra work!
Once Laura and her family arrived on their field they enrolled their four-year-old in a local preschool. They also prayed together for friends for him. He now has three good local friends to play with almost every day. His knowledge of the language and his local friends were definitely the key to his love of his new country. After two years he loves his new home and says he doesn’t want to go back for furlough.
Irene says
Pack Something Beautiful
It was almost twelve years ago! Things have changed considerably since then and if I was to do things over again I would probably do them a little different. However there are some things (some strange things maybe!) that I would not change.
When we were packing, we decided to bring with us some beautiful things. We decided as we were choosing things to take to always look for the colourful things! May sound strange but my husband had spent some time already in the area to which we were going. It was a tribal area, quite remote and basically primitive. His overall impression of life there was that if it wasn’t brown it was grey!! There was a decided lack of colour in tribal life.
So we packed a colourful picnic set, red and blue candlestick holders, loud stripped towels and tea clothes, even our clothes were as loud as I dared! As women I believe we find pleasure in simple beauty and colour. I enjoyed my bright red and yellow kitchen; I loved the soft Beatrix Potter flowers on our bedspread.
There were many days when there was little else to cheer. Days when there was no one to talk to. Days and nights spent alone with the children. Times when I never thought I was going to be able to speak the language or understand the culture – never mind make friends! Days when rain and mud made everyone miserable!
Twelve years have passed and God has brought other colours to our life now. Most of our picnic set is gone. The towels are faded and dull, but there are other colours in our life. We have made many very colourful friends. We have co-workers who have renewed and brightened our work. We have a vision of God’s work reaching horizons we couldn’t even see when we first came!
When I consider the colours with which God has painted our lives it amazes me. Those dark painful colours, contrasted with the highlights of the pleasant days. The light coloured threads running through every day, sometimes overlooked because of their familiarity. The streaks of startling brightness when he healed our daughter, provided school fees for our son and answered prayers for things thought impossible! Why are we surprised by it all when it was God who created colour? I can’t even begin to imagine the colours He has created in the new Heaven and new earth He is preparing for us! So pack some colour into your barrels and remember God hasn’t finished painting yet..
Deb says
My Bedroom, My Retreat
I worked as a single PW teacher in West Africa where everything was brown and hot most of the year. I wasn’t allowed to pack a container. I had to take everything with me on the plane. That meant whatever I took had to be necessary and light!
Our agency told us to take something familiar something you could identify with. Since I had lived overseas before I knew I could handle homesickness because I do love adventure. I also knew I would be changing my dress style to accommodate to the customs in my new country and a different climate. It became a challenge and fun to find clothes that were cool, cotton, long and durable where summer only last 2 months in my USA address.
Since I knew I would have to share a house, my bedroom would be my personal area to identify me. I picked my favorite colors of blue and rose as my theme. I wanted to take a very light weight cute bedspread even though it had to be covered with mosquito netting.
For months I searched every city’s shopping mall that that was on my speaking itinerary. I also prayed, “Please God, please let me find that bedspread that will give me one bright spot in my house!” Does God care for these little details? I had bigger problems than this. I had to raise support, I had to travel alone, I had to speak in all these unfamiliar places and sleep in unfamiliar beds. I needed HIS protection, I needed HIS wisdom. But I also continued to ask, “Please God, could I have that frilly bedspread too?”
Two months later in a Wal-mart near my home was a display of summer bedspreads. There was a light weight, light blue, seersucker, ruffled bedspread with a sham! I was delighted. It was perfect. I never desired frills before and now that I am home I still don’t, but for that period in my life I did. With all the added responsibilities I think I needed to remind myself that I was still a woman. God granted my desires.
The women’s groups gave me fancy, durable sheets and I found a blue and rose rug. I now felt I was ready to go.
The first three months in Africa were a challenge. I lived in someone else’s house and could not unpack most of my belongs except for clothes. All my teaching clothes were different and new — even my underwear was different. Even my teaching job was a different type of position. I remember telling my roommates, “I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
What a relief to move into my own house and set up housekeeping. My bedroom became my personal retreat. My house became a unique flavor of friends from various cultures and languages. I too found the African ladies and children added color in my life. What fun we had learning how to make old fashion American cookies and cakes! Overseas service can be tiring yet so much fun. God will bless your work as your reach out in love to share HIS love with those around you.
Marilyn says
Packing for Children
My husband is the field director of an international work to the Philippines. We have been here 21 years and I grew up as an MK in India for 15 years of my life! So out of the 45 years of my life- most of it has been overseas! I am indeed blessed!
My comment is to the lady who sold or gave away her kids’ toys little by little so they wouldn’t notice. I can totally understand why she did that- it is easier in some ways. I know, I have three children of my own (now in their late teens). But may I caution her that there are many adult MKs who feel bitter towards their parents for doing that very thing. What is precious to our kids isn’t neccessarily precious to us.
I think it is better to give your child a “space,” either a small carry-on or part of a suitcase, that THEY fill with what they want to be taken. The rest is mutually got rid of by giving them to friends, having a garage sale, or whatever. If at all possible, have the kids’ input on this. Some may react at first- even violently- but it is a great time to teach our kids that everything we have is to be held in an open hand- not a tight fist. The little temper tantrum or grief over the loss NOW will be minor compared to the bitterness and regret in later years.
Deb says
Marilynn, I hope missionaries will follow your advice to let their kid’s decide what they want to take and what’s important to take in the space allotted. They will change their minds a hundred times. Some favorite toys need to be packed and stored after or before each term so they kid’s can have memories of their childhood. Another good idea is for them to give some of their favorites to their best friend with their names written or attached to it. They can ask their friend to remember to pray for them each time they play or see the particular toy. Kid’s are great prayer warriors.
Beth says
Cookbooks to Pack
It has been a good many years since I was on the field, but I think there may be some things that don’t change much. One thing we couldn’t get was mixes for cooking or baking, or if you could get one, it wasn’t very fresh. Everything had to be made from scratch.
A cookbook that can help is “Make a Mix” by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward and Madeline Westover from Fisher Books (ISBN 1-55561-073-0). This gives recipes for making your own mixes of many kinds – cake, cookie, snack cake, muffin, quick bread, brownie, quick (i.e. Bisquick), bread, salad dressing, rice mixes, etc.
You would want to have some large containers, such as Tupperware cannisters to store the mixes once you have them made up. Also, for those with a freezer available, there are meat mixes which will take some time up front, but make meals easier down the road, such as Italian or Mexican meat mixes. The largest part of this cookbook is devoted to recipes in which to use the mixes you’ve prepared in advance.
A book which could be used along with the above is The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn from Workman Publishing. Each recipe in this book uses a cake mix to make various cakes, bars and desserts that don’t look like they began with a cake mix.
Another book, The Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor, has recently come out, but I haven’t seen it and can’t comment on it. (ISBN 0-7811-1719-9).
Cooking on the field can take up a lot of time, and these books (and others like them) can make it a little easier.
Both these books can be found at Barnes & Noble (and undoubtedly other book stores), and I have also seen The Cake Mix Doctor many times at Wal-Mart (at a better price).