MKs share stories about coming to America and attending Evangel

November 26, 2007

Article by Kelly Bevill, Copy Editor, The Lance | Photos provided by Joelle Nelson

Republished with permission from The Lance, Evangel University's student-produced newspaper. Article originally published Nov. 16, 2007, Vol. 53, Issue 11.

Transitioning into the college subculture can be daunting enough, but it becomes even more intense when coming to America from another culture entirely.

The Evangel campus is home to the “missionary kids” (MKs) of many Assemblies of God missionaries, like Joy Hosack who grew up in Thailand and Joelle Nelson who lived in Kenya from the time she was 13 until she came to Evangel as a freshman last fall.

Misconceptions about MKs

Other college students often have misconceptions about MKs. “They think we are crazy, off -the-wall, unsocialized … and that we know everything about the Bible,” Nelson, junior nursing major, said. “Then they say, ‘Wow, you seem so normal,’ like they are surprised.”

Hosack, freshman international/multicultural studies major, agrees. “They think I am either anti-American or I hated living in Thailand. I loved being in Thailand and I love being here, too,” she said.

Hosack’s parents, Jim and Chris Hosack, are Assemblies of God missionaries in Thailand. “For eight years they were home missionaries on a Native American reservation where they ministered to the Spokane Indians in Washington state,” Hosack said. “Then, they moved to Thailand where they have been missionaries for about 23 years.”

Jeff and Janelle Nelson were pastors in the United States for 16 years before moving their family to Nairobi, Kenya. “I was born in North Dakota and then we moved to Alaska for nine years,” Nelson said. “We moved to Kenya the week I turned 13.”

Challenges through Transition

MKs moving back to America must learn to be independent in a country they are often unfamiliar with. Nelson found that the hardest part about transitioning into American culture was all the little things. She described a trip to Wal-Mart to buy batteries in which she ended up leaving empty-handed because she was overwhelmed by all the choices. Little things like which side of the car to get into and the way to greet people are things that MKs have to figure out.

While each individual MK will transition at a different pace and deal with different issues, there are some issues that are common for all MKs returning to the United States.

One of the issues that MKs entering college often deal with is loneliness. “My closest friends are spread out all over the place. I never get to see them all at the same time. But we stay in contact. And there are great people here, too,” Hosack said. “My parents, my friends, the food, the hot weather, the beach, the city, the motorcycle taxis, the fruit, the language, the crazy traffic … I miss it all.”

But missing the foreign culture does not indicate that all MKs hate America. “America, just like every other country, has its strengths and weaknesses, so it’s interesting to discover them everyday,” Hosack said.

MKs also appreciate aspects of living in America. “I love the availability of things in America. But it can be bad because I can’t appreciate things as much,” Nelson said. When Nelson was in Nairobi, she would be excited about a box of Oreos coming in the mail. She said that it is hard to appreciate them now when she could just go to Wal-Mart and buy some.

Support for MKs

The International Society of Missionary Kids is an organization at Assemblies of God World Missions that is in place to support MKs. They do many things for college-aged MKs such as an annual ski retreat during Thanksgiving break in Colorado. “They are always available; they send you cards on your birthday, and last year they would take us freshman girls out to lunch to see how we were doing,” Nelson said.

Perceptions of Time

One big difference between the American culture and some cultures that MKs may come from is the view of time. “America is a very fast-paced culture, and in Thailand, everyone is more easygoing and they take their time,” Hosack said. “So, I will admit I work on Asian time, and it’s not a big deal when I’m a few minutes late for something … definitely something I had to get used to.”

Nelson also noticed the difference in time in America. “Things [in America] seem busier. Advertisements are fast paced and things are bigger. I was used to a slower pace of life,” Nelson said.

Both women emphasized the role that God plays in the transition from another culture back to America. “Some days are amazing, other days are really hard, but God gets me through them one way or another,” Hosack said.

“There are lots of people to talk to,” Nelson said. “Older MKs, old friends, new friends who aren’t even MKs, parents and, of course, God.”