A little boy is woken up by his parents in the middle of the night and told they have to leave their home and friends and belongings behind. At least he gets to bring his rabbit. On the journey, there’s lots of hurrying and then waiting and the boy’s tummy hurts because he’s trying to keep in his whining. An old lady tells him the story of another boy who had to leave his home suddenly and go to a new home. He grew up to be a great teacher (Jesus).
This sweet short story could be helpful for children who have had to move suddenly or had a difficult time moving. The illustration is sweet and the boy’s squirminess is so relatable!
Reading level: 4 to 7 years
A memoir of a missionary kid processing her experience of growing up abroad, and especially of going to boarding school as a young child, “Letters Never Sent” takes the reader through a process of healing and seeking closeness with God. Written in the form of letters to her parents (the original title is more apt: “Letters I Never Wrote”), this is her story from early childhood through adulthood as the discovery that pain and purpose can co-exist begins to bring comfort & healing.
While unmasking some of the darker sides of missions and especially the family separations that often go along with it, Van Reken still honors the good in her experiences and how much she loves her and parents and loves God. She doesn’t look at her experiences in black and white but still gives helpful advice to those who are on a similar journey towards recovery and to parents of TCKs who don’t want to repeat her parents’ mistakes.
This small autobiography is about a missionary kid who grew up in Swaziland in the mid-1900s. It describes her relationship with her distant father, a doctor, her elementary school days in the local missionary school and going away to boarding school for high school. Her closeness to God is steady throughout her childhood and she talks about how He was with her through it all.
This collection of stories from kids in the Josiah Venture mission show what life is really like as a missionary kid in Europe. From elementary schoolers drawing pictures of lightsaber battles to high schoolers sharing their fears about moving and making new friends, there are a great variety of stories in this book. This could be a helpful book to get for kids who are worried about moving overseas and wonder what their life will be like once they move. Or for MKs who are lonely and want a connection to other MKs’ stories.
Miko’s Journey is a picture book with a coloring page next to each story page, following the adventure of Miko the chameleon who is moving to a new forest. Miko has to say goodbye to his family and friends and start the scary adventure to his new home. Though he has fun in his new forest and learning a new language, he misses his friends too. The story ends with Miko making friends with a zebra and getting to ride on his back.
After the story, there are extra coloring pages of Psalm 139:9-10 and then 8 discussion questions for kids who have recently moved to a new place.
Since this story was published by the Assemblies of God, it isn’t available to buy online but you can contact the publishers through their email: askmiko72@gmail.com
Reading level: age 4 to 8 years
Little Adelina loves to help her father repair airplanes. When her family decides to move to the jungle to be missionary pilots, she has to say goodbye to all the people, places & things she knows & loves. When fear sets in, she finds comfort in her beloved Aviator Bear, and strength in God who gives her “courage bigger than the sky” so she can boldly set out on her new adventure.
This wonderful book for missionary kids has appealing illustrations & a sweet story. The twist at the end brought tears to my eyes.
Reading level: 3 to 7 years
