Home is a place where people usually go to see their family. A place where they are familiar to the environment and would know each little corner and every little store within a 10 mile radius. They are familiar with their environment, the culture, the people, and the lifestyle. It’s a place where they feel comfortable and know the ins and outs of the country. Where most people are given the privilege to live that kind of lifestyle, we TCKs/MKs aren’t. We don’t grow up living in the same place all our life. We can’t go to the same ice cream store we used to when we were eight. Walks through the same park with our families don’t exist anymore. Seasons of the year can change each time Dad announce it's time for another move. Familiarity is a vague concept in our minds just as the word “home” doesn’t ring much of a bell either. We are constantly moving, constantly having to face change: of new addresses, new cities, new cultures, and new people. The packing, unpacking, getting used to the new location, and finding new friends (if there are any) all come with the package of being a TCK/MK. Change is something we are more familiar to rather than the complacency of living in a place we have been so comfortable with.
Although it is hard to move around all the time it’s actually pretty rewarding. As I stay at home through my semester break I am starting to realize how much moving around and knowing so many people all over the world have blessed me. As I went back to my old school this week I thought through the memories I once had there: The things we used to do, the places my friends and I would have lunch, the spot we used to chill and hang out after school. As I passed by the narrow halls of my old school I looked around for familiar faces and found a couple that still remembered me. Little brothers that I’ve mentored in the past or were in the same drama class were all grown up, and still remembered the things that we used to do six years ago. Having to move a lot didn’t just mean goodbyes it also meant that you get to know and meet new people all the time or people you’ve known in your past. I love meeting up with a few friends from my past here and also friends of friends in Egypt. So even though there will be those times that I would sit around missing people from different parts of the globe there will always be a memory of them with me and of me with them. Especially in the Christian circle, you are just tied together somehow it’s pretty awesome. Cuz a few weeks ago I met up with a friend and his family that knew a friend of ours in Egypt. Our families were just able to get along and talk about anything especially seeing what God is doing in our lives and how He got us there. It was pretty awesome cuz we didn’t know this family very well, yet we just clicked like we were just family for being with Christ. It was a pretty awesome feeling.
So over the years I have realized that home isn’t a particular location, although I might still call the Philippines, Egypt, and South Korea home, to me home has become the place that the ones I care about are. It’s the place I had those great memories and cherished those precious hours we spent together. In the end of the line home becomes our ultimate destination; Heaven. Where we will all be together with our King one day.
So now most of you know why my heart and thoughts have been about Egypt these days. And I’m sure if you’ve lived there you would understand what I am talking about. The people there have all been a blessing to us and have impacted our hearts beyond anything we can imagine. As much as we had to leave them at one point they are still part of our lives and with what is going on with the people and the government there we can’t help but think about the people we care about all the time. Thinking if they are alright, if they have enough food (since from what I’ve heard stores have closed down in some places), if the schools have closed down, if they are still living “normally” before all this came about. With no internet connection and just hearing from friends that are updating their statuses for them we don’t know what else to do but continue on praying for them. It’s been a rough week but all we can do right now trust God and believe that He has a purpose through all this. May God keep them safe as this piece of history in the making unfolds.
