As a Missionary Kid I was asked many questions…and many of them were strange or uninformed. Missionary Kids, when they are back in their passport country, are asked many things, and most of them are not easy for them to answer. Questions like, “How do you like being back home?” or “Do you have TV?” or “Do you ride on a donkey?” are awkward.
When missionary kids are in their parent’s home country, they are visiting. They are either there on home assignment or a short vacation, but this is NOT their home. Home is where they live with their family for most of the time. They are missing friends and experiencing culture shock.
When you are talking with visiting missionary kids, here are some questions to ask that might help them feel more comfortable, but also provide you with some insight into their lives. (By the way, many of these are great for any kid!)
Questions
- What is your favorite thing about __(insert country where they live)__?
- Tell me about your school.
- What is your favorite subject?
- Tell me about your friends.
- Tell me about your family.
- What is your favorite food?
- What hobbies do you enjoy?
- What are you good at?
- What books do you enjoy reading?
- Do you have a favorite movie or TV show ?
- What do you miss most about being gone from __(insert country)___?
- What is your favorite holiday?
- How do you celebrate ___(insert holiday)___ in ___(insert country)___?
For some great ideas on how to do something special for visiting missionary kids, check out This link!