Transitioning from a cross-cultural assignment is a process that takes time and is best achieved with the support of trained, and experienced personnel. No need to undertake this journey alone. Let us help connect you with others who can walk alongside you, providing safety and nurturing along the way.

 

MORE NETWORK BLOG

Thank you for visiting us! Please find our latest blog right below and the rest of them at the bottom of the page, organized chronologically. Enjoy!

 

ByBenjamin Reed on Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Wilderness ReBoot: What to Expect

Benjamin Reed By Benjamin Reed on Tuesday, April 11, 2023

 

Designed for adult MKs (Missionary Kids) seeking a deep encounter with God amidst the beauty of the Canadian back country wilderness, Wilderness ReBoot is a co-ed retreat for MKs ages 21-35 willing to be challenged physically and spiritually, while deepening their relationship with God by seeking His direction in their lives.

My purpose of doing the Wilderness Reboot retreat is found in Acts 14:22 “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God”.

I firmly believe that young adults who have grown up overseas have amazing gifts and abilities that we, the older generation, need urgently. 

Strengthen the souls of disciples

At Wilderness ReBoot, we intentionally abandon screens and the internet and leave behind the noise of our culture for one week. We practice entering quiet to wrestle with our addiction to busyness as we spend time in the Kananaskis mountains southwest of Calgary.

Our souls’ hunger for beauty leads us to the wilderness; the beautiful mountains, sky, trees, rivers, and flowers connect with our souls that are nourished by beauty. Riding horses, canoeing, hiking, and rappelling (led by Blue Bronna Wilderness camp staff) helps us experience the mountains up close. 

We invite young adults (ages 21-early thirties) who have grown up overseas to be reminded that we are not alone. There are many who share similar but different experiences. We are not created to be an “island.” 

Encourage in the faith

At Wilderness ReBoot, we provide materials, a journal, and short devotionals every morning on solitude with God. We practice solitude around the camp, and we respect everyone’s individuality as they practice solitude - whether through poetry; song; sketching; singing; the need to rest/sleep; prayer; journaling, or sitting by the river and listening to the water.

We welcome honest, hard questions. We have had people who are actively seeking God, and those who aren’t. I don’t believe hard questions disqualify us from the journey of faith.

We teach how to lament. Lament is an ancient prayer form in the church where the people of God intentionally express their pain, grief and sorrow to God who welcomes them as they are. 

Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God

Sharing stories is a key part of the Wilderness ReBoot experience. We ask everyone (staff included) to come prepared to share part of their story (20 minutes) around the campfire. No one is forced to share anything they are not comfortable to share. The group participates in listening actively to the one sharing by doing three things:

  • We reflect on what we heard, to make sure we heard correctly.
  • We share what moved our emotions as we listened.
  • Then the group prays (silent) prayers of blessing for the one who shared.  

We respect the stories that are shared by covenanting to guard each other but agreeing to not share anybody else’s story. I take this very seriously. No one has permission to share another’s story. 

An Invitation

Every time we have run Wilderness ReBoot, the retreat has been an amazing encouragement to me, and I feel so honored to invest in the next generation of leaders. Thank you for your prayers. We trust God 100% every year. 

Are you an adult MK (Missionary Kid) or TCK (Third Cuture Kid) between the ages of 21-35 who grew up overseas? Or do you know an adult MK or TCK who would be interested in attending?

You can find more information, and links to register here: Wilderness ReBoot 2023

A Sneak Peak

Here are a couple videos to give you an inside look at Wilderness ReBoot…

Wilderness ReBoot 2022 Highlights

 

Wilderness ReBoot: Chara’s Story


Benjamin Reed is the Program Director for Wilderness ReBoot. Benjamin and his wife, Marlene, have been in missionary life for 30+ years, serving in Kyrgyzstan and Canada. Currently, Ben serves as a care worker with the MORE Network, in the areas of spiritual direction and pastoral care within the overseas worker community, prayer ministry, and re-entry debriefing. Ben speaks two languages of Central Asia, plays the Komuz, and loves cultural music and learning about world culture. He also loves hiking in the great outdoors, running, swimming and biking. Ben and Marlene have been married for 30+ years, have three adult children, and are enjoying being first time grandparents.



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Did you miss our past blogs? Check them out below!

 

Deny Yourself: My Story of Self-Denial & Abundant Life

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” -Mark 8:34

I still remember the moment I heard the words of Mark 8, grasping their significance for the first time. Sitting amongst peers while at university – I was largely preoccupied by ambition and my pursuit of excellence.

I didn’t know a lot back then about what it means to follow Jesus, but I did know Jesus as the Saviour who pulls little children closer, drowning out harshness with His greatness. His hands had sheltered my heart throughout my youth and brought along gifts of companionship, discipleship, and understanding. I felt cherished by Jesus and it was his inordinate compassion towards me that kept me tethered to Him. 

Deny - the word sprang out at me, convicting and exposing me. 

What did that mean? 

I was well positioned to pursue the American Dream and succeed at it, and denying myself in any way was not really part of the plan. So tangibly struck, I fumbled to respond to those words within our group, finally landing on, “I don’t think I’m doing that”. 

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” -Mark 8:35

Oh boy, somehow denying myself was connected to losing my life and that was not anywhere on my to-do list. I was on track for a comfortable life, full of all the perks of a first-world society, with no regard for the reality that no one avoids suffering anyway...

Read more...

Ministry at the Speed of Relationships

Building relationships is the first and foremost thing we should be about - everything else comes out of relationships. Building relationships with people from other cultures is so important, as humor; lifestyle; values; and beliefs are so different to ours, and don’t translate well. Living next to, and working with other nationalities, requires relationship.

Jesus taught us that building relationships is the greatest and most important thing we do - no strings attached.

So, how do we build Christ-honoring relationships in our life & ministry? In this article, Paul draws on wisdom from the Bible, underscoring the importance of humility, forgiveness, trust, and genuine care in developing deep and meaningful relationships. And he challenges us, first and foremost, to approach ministry (and life) at the "speed of relationships!"

Read more...

The Bittersweet of Travelling as an Adult TCK

Over the last year, I took more flights than I ever have within a single year. I’ve had more time to be in these liminal spaces than ever before. As an adult TCK (Third Culture Kid), this has invited me to reflect more deeply on why I am where I am in the world, and how that continues to shape my identity. In these spaces I momentarily re-enter into the journey of transition and grief.

In this article, Malik shares about his recent travels, and offers advice on how to process complex feelings while traveling and staying connected to multiple cultures.

 

Read more...

Risk-taking in the Canadian Wilderness

What first came to mind when I was invited to the “Canadian wilderness” to help lead a Wilderness Camp for adult third culture kids (ATCKs) this past July was the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.  

All spring I relished these thoughts: an adventure of “humans against the elements” with a group of young adult TCKs and ATCK co-leaders who “got it.” Overcoming challenges together is a great way to bond quickly, and with other ATCKs, I knew those bonds could form quickly in the right setting. Having grown up in the mountains of Vermont and in the highlands of Kenya, hiking, camping, paddling, and climbing in wild places is revitalizing to me. 

We were headed into all the key elements of adventure: horseback riding, rock climbing, kayaking, and hiking in the mountains where elk, moose, and grizzly bears roamed, living in tents that had just been resurrected after a literal crushing storm. In between, we would split wood and help with cooking, and immerse ourselves in outdoor life—axe throwing and bonfires, outhouses (let’s be real) and camp cooking, fast changing weather, and the sweetest air you could imagine. For me, that kind of life isn’t about a contest so much as it is about finding harmony with elements that can give wonderful gifts and can also kill you. Risk in its essence...

Read more...

Wilderness ReBoot: What to Expect

Designed for adult MKs (Missionary Kids) seeking a deep encounter with God amidst the beauty of the Canadian back country wilderness, Wilderness ReBoot is a co-ed retreat for MKs (Missionary Kids) ages 21-35 willing to be challenged physically and spiritually, while deepening their relationship with God by seeking His direction in their lives. 

Benjamin Reed, the Program Director for Wilderness ReBoot shares the purpose behind the retreat and a behind-the-scenes look at what you can expect. 

Read more...

Updates & Reflections from My Trip to India

Paul shares stories, updates and reflections from his recent trip to India. God is at work!

Read more...

Wilderness ReBoot: Solitude, Community & Mission

Ben shares about how his love for the wilderness first started, and gives insight into what adult MKs (Missionary Kids) can expect at Wilderness ReBoot. 

Read more...

The Busyness of an MK (Missionary Kid)

I love airports.

The hustle and bustle. People of every nationality streaming past me. The endless possibilities of flights to every corner of the world.

As an adult now, I can admit that in trying to get my family from one country to another, an airport can be a stressful place; endless lines, tight timelines, lost luggage, too much opportunity for things to go wrong.

But, as a Third-Culture Kid (TCK), and specifically a Missionary Kid (MK), the airport glitters like a yellow-brick road into the unknown, and it excites me, especially that hustle and bustle, that busyness of international travel.

Airports are synonymous with the word “busy”. This word, busy, seems also to be the first word used by people to describe life where I now live, Southwestern Ontario. If you have a casual conversation with just about anyone older than 20, they describe life as busy. Life is busy ... but why? I can’t speak about your particular situation, but I can tell you about my situation: there are just so many things to do. Good things. Important things. 

How do you figure out what God is specifically calling you to do when there are so many ‘good’ things that need someone to do them?

Read more...

Adult Third Culture Kid Research

One of the main reasons I decided to pursue doctoral studies was to conduct research. Not just any research, but "Adult Third Culture Kid" (ATCK) research. For many years, I worked with children, teens, and adults from various mission agencies, preparing them for international ministry and helping them transition back to Canada.

As I listened to their stories of joy and heartbreak, accomplishments and struggles, I realized that there is so much more that we, as caregivers and organizations, can learn from these international workers and their families to contribute to their transition and healing. In particular, we need to find new ways to help them help themselves, long after the end of the transition retreats and workshops we offer.

The question I am exploring for my research is “How can spiritual self-leadership encourage identity development and sense of belonging in ATCKs in order for them to fully realize their potential and value contribution in the workplace?”

Read more...

Deny Yourself: My Story of Self-Denial & Abundant Life
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” -Mark 8:34 I still remember the moment I heard the words of Mark 8, grasping their significance for the first time. Si...
Read more...
Ministry at the Speed of Relationships
Building relationships is the first and foremost thing we should be about - everything else comes out of relationships. Building relationships with people from other cultures is so important, as humor; lifestyle; values...
Read more...
The Bittersweet of Travelling as an Adult TCK
Over the last year, I took more flights than I ever have within a single year. I’ve had more time to be in these liminal spaces than ever before. As an adult TCK (Third Culture Kid), this has invited me to reflect more ...
Read more...
Risk-taking in the Canadian Wilderness
What first came to mind when I was invited to the “Canadian wilderness” to help lead a Wilderness Camp for adult third culture kids (ATCKs) this past July was the book  Hatchet  by Gary Paulsen.   All spring I reli...
Read more...
Wilderness ReBoot: What to Expect
Designed for adult MKs (Missionary Kids) seeking a deep encounter with God amidst the beauty of the Canadian back country wilderness, Wilderness ReBoot is a co-ed retreat for MKs (Missionary Kids) ages 21-35 willing to ...
Read more...
Updates & Reflections from My Trip to India
Paul shares stories, updates and reflections from his recent trip to India. God is at work!
Read more...
Wilderness ReBoot: Solitude, Community & Mission
Ben shares about how his love for the wilderness first started, and gives insight into what adult MKs (Missionary Kids) can expect at Wilderness ReBoot. 
Read more...
The Busyness of an MK (Missionary Kid)
I love airports. The hustle and bustle. People of every nationality streaming past me. The endless possibilities of flights to every corner of the world. As an adult now, I can admit that in trying to get my f...
Read more...
Adult Third Culture Kid Research
One of the main reasons I decided to pursue doctoral studies was to conduct research. Not just any research, but "Adult Third Culture Kid" (ATCK) research. For many years, I worked with children, teens, and adults from ...
Read more...
6 Gospel Truths for TCKs
Ethan, an adult Missionary Kid, shares 6 gospel truths for Missionary Kids & Third Culture Kids ... "While there are many positive things about growing up as Missionary Kids, we face unique challenges and personal ...
Read more...