MORE NETWORK BLOG

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ByMORE Network on Thursday, November 16, 2023

Deeply Rooted

MORE Network By MORE Network on Thursday, November 16, 2023

 

A Time of Loneliness & Transition

Hearing James admit he feels lonely is what troubles us the most. A strong young man who is capable, full of life experiences (many of us would dream of) and a future full of potential, yet seemingly without direction. 

Can you imagine feeling so alone and uprooted you don’t know which way to turn? 

For many Cross-Cultural Workers (CCWs) and Missionary Kids (MKs), returning back to Canada is the hardest transition they will make. Young men like James often feel as if they’re being transplanted from one place and culture to the next and struggle to know what step to take next. 

Growing Deeper Roots

We invite you to join us in helping MKs like James and their families grow their roots down deeper into the right soil.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” - Colossians 2: 6–7  

Right now, there are nearly 70 MKs & CCWs, preparing to enter new life seasons, who are looking to the MORE Network to assist them. Whether it’s for Home Assignment in Canada or re-entry for post-secondary school or a new ministry, there’s a real need to provide the support and resources to help soften the transition and set them up for success.  

Without access to re-entry retreats, mental health resources, and a member care community, these individuals and families could be left to struggle alone, disconnected from the kind of community that provides flourishing and spiritual fullness in Christ. Their next seasons will be a struggle without the help of compassionate friends like you.  

A Network of Support

Thankfully, God has given the MORE Network team the capacity to offer 3 re-entry retreats this next year – RE-VIEW, Classic ReBoot & Wilderness ReBoot - as well as a full staff and a referral list of Mental Health Professionals to support each one with resources and member care.

What’s more, generous donors have offered a limited-time $25,000 match! But to fulfill that match and reach our goal of $50,000 (the remaining costs to provide these resources to MKs and their families next year), we need the support of generous and compassionate people like you. People who understand the tension of transitioning from one place to another. People who know the worth of being connected to a community to thrive in Christ.  

Your Gift Doubled for Impact

Your gift of $50, $100, or more, will be DOUBLED by matching donors to give twice as many MKs or CCWs the opportunity to attend a re-entry retreat this next year - so they can be deeply rooted in community.  

Just imagine the stories they’ll share when they’ve had the opportunity to debrief with others, share their stories, and take steps toward healing and connection.  

When you consider your giving over this Christmas season, you’ll feel good knowing that families like James’ can access the support and resources they need to grieve losses, heal broken roots, and plant themselves in community. One in which they can find belonging, learn the skills needed to thrive in transition, and build relationships that will last a lifetime! 

We invite you to join us during this season of generosity so that, together, we can give MKs and their families the opportunities to experience a richer soil in Christ and broaden their branches amongst community.

Give today at Deeply Rooted


MORE Network, a ministry of Outreach Canada, exists to bolster, strengthen, and encourage Canadian Missionaries and their children in times of transition. MORE Network facilitates care for singles, couples, and families, particularly as they repatriate from the cross-cultural assignment, and facilitates the resourcing of member care support staff.



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

 

Returning Home for the First Time

It was the 17th of November 2023. Our Biman Bangladesh Airlines evening flight began its somewhat rocky decent into Dhaka, Bangladesh. The city sprawled for miles with concrete apartment buildings as far as the eye could see. I was travelling with my wife, Reaghan, and our friends, Emma and Mitchell. This was the first time I’d be setting foot in the city and country I spent the first 12 years of my life in as an MK (Missionary Kid)...

Read more...

5 Ways to Pray for MORE Network in 2024

At the MORE Network, the key verse we’ve chosen for 2024 is Exodus 33:14: “The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 (NIV)

Prior to this verse, God had told Moses to lead the Israelites to a land flowing with milk and honey but that He would not go with them. In response Moses says in verse 15, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.”

Just as Moses did not want to go forward without God, neither do we in the MORE Network. Not only do we want God to direct us in the way we should go in 2024, but we also want His presence to go with us.

Here are 5 Areas of Prayer for the MORE Network in 2024! 

Read more...

Lament of a Returning Missionary

Loosely based on Psalm 13, here is a prayer of lament of a returning missionary. 

How long, Lord, will I miss our former HOME where I sobbed in frustration and prayed, pounding on heaven’s door to learn language(s) & culture, and how to buy food and learn to survive, let alone thrive? ...

 

Read more...

Christmas Memories from Around the World

Watermelon, Handprints and Fireworks ... What do they all have in common? They are all elements of favourite Christmas memories and traditions from our MORE Network staff, from around the world! 

Read more...

Deeply Rooted

We invite you to join us during this season of generosity so that, together, we can give Missionary Kids and their families the opportunities to experience a richer soil in Christ and broader branches in community. 

Read more...

The Eternal Benefits of Debriefing

I recently returned from RE-VIEW, a week-long family debriefing retreat, where I served as an adult facilitator and debriefer.

While there, I had the honour of hearing the stories of missionaries who have worked in the overseas ministry context for many years. And boy, did I feel inadequate for the task as some of them had faithfully served a lifetime, having much more cross-cultural experience than I have and the wisdom that accompanies such incredible life experiences.

But what struck me the most and motivated me all the more to listen, was that many of these seasoned missionaries never had the opportunity to actually share their full stories with anyone – that is their deeply personal and valuable stories, the good, the bad and the ugly. And that’s really a reflection and a limitation of our modern missionary movement; missionaries often feel obligated to share only the positive experiences and their successes, lest they be judged or misunderstood, or worse, lose vital financial or personal support...

Read more...

Bonds Beyond Borders: The Impact of ReBoot on MKs

There is something so beautiful about the quick bonds that form between MKs (Missionary Kids), who understand each other despite having drastically different life experiences. It’s like a breath of fresh air to be surrounded by people who have gone through similar life experiences. It helps you to share on a more honest and intimate level.

Each year, the MORE Network runs Classic ReBoot, a re-entry retreat for missionaries’ kids (MKs) aged 17-20 returning to life in Canada. This is a crucial time in the lives of these young adults, many of whom are not only adjusting to a new culture, but also to new schools, jobs, relationships, and living situations.

In this article, Malik, shares about his own experience at Classic ReBoot, as well as an inside scoop from attendees of the most recent Classic ReBoot!

Read more...

Adult Third Culture Kid Research: The Heart Behind the Research

This summer, we had the privilege of connecting with Shelly Lyons about her research on Adult Third Culture Kids. Listen in to hear more about the “heart” behind the research and her big picture dreams for how it will be used! 

Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCK) are adults whose lives were shaped by mobility and cross-cultural experiences during their childhood. According to Merriam Webster, a “Third Culture Kid (TCK)” refers to "a child who grows up in a culture different from the one in which his or her parents grew up ... The 'third culture' to which the term refers is the mixed identity that a child assumes, influenced both by their parents' culture and the culture in which they are raised."

Read more...

Is Competition a Biblical Value?

One Sunday morning in the church where I pastored, a family came to me and shared how some of their friends had left our church to go to another church: a "competitor church". They were completely distracted by their news. Does the Bible encourage us to compete with fellow believers? Is there such a thing as a competitor church?

Read more...

Returning Home for the First Time
It was the 17 th of November 2023. Our Biman Bangladesh Airlines evening flight began its somewhat rocky decent into Dhaka, Bangladesh. The city sprawled for miles with concrete apartment buildings as far as the eye co...
Read more...
5 Ways to Pray for MORE Network in 2024
At the MORE Network, the key verse we’ve chosen for 2024 is Exodus 33:14: “The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 (NIV) Prior to this verse, God had told Moses to l...
Read more...
Lament of a Returning Missionary
Loosely based on Psalm 13, here is a prayer of lament of a returning missionary.  How long, Lord, will I miss our former HOME where I sobbed in frustration and prayed, pounding on heaven’s door to learn language(s...
Read more...
Christmas Memories from Around the World
Watermelon, Handprints and Fireworks ... What do they all have in common? They are all elements of favourite Christmas memories and traditions from our MORE Network staff, from around the world! 
Read more...
Deeply Rooted
We invite you to join us during this season of generosity so that, together, we can give Missionary Kids and their families the opportunities to experience a richer soil in Christ and broader branches in community. 
Read more...
The Eternal Benefits of Debriefing
I recently returned from RE-VIEW, a week-long family debriefing retreat, where I served as an adult facilitator and debriefer. While there, I had the honour of hearing the stories of missionaries who have worked in...
Read more...
Bonds Beyond Borders: The Impact of ReBoot on MKs
There is something so beautiful about the quick bonds that form between MKs (Missionary Kids), who understand each other despite having drastically different life experiences. It’s like a breath of fresh air to be surro...
Read more...
Adult Third Culture Kid Research: The Heart Behind the Research
This summer, we had the privilege of connecting with Shelly Lyons about her research on Adult Third Culture Kids. Listen in to hear more about the “heart” behind the research and her big picture dreams for how it will b...
Read more...
Is Competition a Biblical Value?
One Sunday morning in the church where I pastored, a family came to me and shared how some of their friends had left our church to go to another church: a "competitor church". They were completely distracted by their ne...
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...