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ByPaul Dyck on Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Wilderness ReBoot: Through the Eyes of an MK

Paul Dyck By Paul Dyck on Tuesday, July 9, 2019

 

Wilderness ReBoot is a coed "off the grid" retreat for missionary kids (MKs) ages 21-35.

MKs experience huge transitions in their lives with the biggest being their move to Canada. They face all the challenges of North American teens including transitioning from high school to university or college, and all the responsibilites that come with transitioning from youth to adult. On top of this, MK's are transitioning from their home in another country to Canada, which is quite foreign to them.

The Wilderness ReBoot retreat is for MKs wanting to hear God's voice, go deeper with God, and discern what He is leading them into next.

Through the Eyes of an MK

 "I needed something that would challenge me physically and spiritually and also provide encouragement that I could meet these challenges. I was in a transition time and was seeking God's will for my life, and I wanted our relationship to deepen. I also wanted to learn how to trust and engage with the communities that I was a part of in Canada to a fuller measure than I had been.

So what better than to adventure into the Canadian Rocky Mountains wilderness and share new experiences and life stories with strangers who, strangely enough, very quickly felt just like family?

It was truly an amazing week.

The week wasn't set up to educate or inform but to invite space and the freedom to address my relationship with God, with my past, and with people.

I loved the times of community and fellowship as well as the times of solitude with God. I loved the combination of new and familiar. There were so many times I'd start sharing some odd thing about how or where I grew up and found that, in another town, in another country, on the other side of the globe, there was someone else who had that same (or hilariously similar) experience!" 

"I also appreciated the basic routine of each day: both its dependability and the variety.

We began each day with breakfast, worship and prayer around the central campfire. One of the Reboot leaders would lead a short devotion and then we would each spend the rest of the morning in solitude with God.

After lunch we would engage in activities that our hosts, the Blue Bronna Wilderness Camp staff, planned and led. These activities included hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing/repelling, swimming/crossing mountain rivers and then cliff jumping.

After supper we gathered for more worship and then two MKs each night would share their stories. The worship and devotional time encouraged me to seek God earnestly during the quiet time; the quiet time allowed space for God to work on my attitude or anything else He wanted to address that day; and that prepared me for the activities of the afternoon which, although fun, were challenging in many ways."

Sharing Stories

"One of my favourite parts though, was the privilege of hearing each MK's story.

We would listen and respond with feedback like, "I heard this or that in your story" (responding with our minds--facts) and "this or that touched me" (responding with our hearts--emotions).

And then we would spend time praying for each person that shared and would share a word, picture, or verse that God had given us for the sharer (responding as the Holy Spirit leads). I appreciated this method of sharing and responding very much.

I felt heard, understood, and deeply cared for.

Of course, it was a terrifying leap to trust 17 strangers with my life's story—the pain and the joy, the strangeness of my experiences as well as all the commonalities. But oh! —the blessing I received in trusting, in sharing, in being vulnerable FAR outweighed the fear.

The kindness and compassion from the fellow MKs, Reboot Staff, and Bronna Staff, brought me so much healing, as they listened to my story and shared their responses. And to be trusted with everyone's life stories—what a treasure each person is!"

Registration & More Information

You can find out more information about the next Wilderness ReBoot here: Wilderness ReBoot

Wilderness ReBoot is a ministry of MORE Network. MORE Network is a collaboration of Canadian organizations supporting missionaries in cross-cultural transition. 



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

 

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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.

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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? ...

 

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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.

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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!

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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."

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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

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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...
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