Supporting families in the missionary task

TCK Education

Meeting needs and supporting families are some of the most rewarding parts of TCK education, according to Doreen, the IMB’s director of TCK education. The goal is supporting IMB families so they can thrive as a family and in the ministry God has called them to.

Doreen was a special education teacher for seven and a half years before serving with her husband, Jon, in Asia for 27 years. Before their retirement from the field, Doreen was a regional TCK consultant.

In her current role, she is responsible for the global team of education consultants who facilitate educational needs for IMB families, whether it’s finding the best homeschool curriculum or vetting national or Christian schools. Consultants walk alongside families whose children need additional help with educational testing, special needs, and any other educational needs.

Doreen’s team also provides adult TCK care, through events like Thanksgiving retreats and an app to promote communication. Her team works preemptively with families to meet their children’s needs.

“We really don't want to just meet a need when it's gotten so far, we are working on earlier intervention,” she said.

A lot of that is educating families on what to look for in their child. For families with students who have learning needs, the consultants collaborate with the family to create a student support plan to determine appropriate strategies. The consultant meets with the family periodically to monitor progress and assist as needed. For families who have special needs, the team creates an individual education plan and collaborates with the family to select strategies. They meet with parents for periodic assessments.

“I think families have felt really supported by our company and by the consultants working with them,” she continued.

Thank You, Father, for the IMB’s commitment to caring for our TCKs and for the work the TCK education team does to faithfully support missionaries. Please give them wisdom and joy as they seek to meet the educational needs of IMB TCKs.

A TCK’s roots grow deep

TCK Member Care

Hannah grew up in Asia as a Third-Culture Kid (TCK) and saw some TCKs crash and burn when they moved to the U.S. Looking back, she saw some common threads that may have contributed.

Hannah is a TCK-focused member care consultant based in Richmond.

“Member care exists to help missionaries be spiritually, emotionally, and relationally healthy on the field, and so I think TCK member care is an extension of that,” Hannah said.

She focuses on these three areas of health with TCKs and supports families as they learn what they need to care for their children.

Hannah works with families in the application process, at orientation training in Richmond, and who are on stateside assignment with TCK member care needs. She attends TCK classes to talk about God’s good design for emotions. She also meets one-on-one with some TCKs. 

Her role is new, and as she talks with parents who are headed to the field for the first time, she shares about what to expect during their transition overseas, transition stress symptoms, challenges their children will face, and how they can walk beside their children. She also shares about issues TCKs might encounter as they get older.

She explains to parents that, for kids moving overseas, it’s not easier or harder than their parents moving overseas, it's just different. Impressions are made on children’s developing brains when they move to another country. A TCK’s roots go deeper into the cultures they grow up in than an adult’s ever will because their impressionable years are spent overseas. Their identity will feel complex, she explains. 

Transition at any age is difficult, but that’s especially true with elementary, middle school, and high school-aged children, and she encourages parents to intentionally and openly talk about identity and transition.

Thank You, Father, for Hannah and the life experience You have used to prepare her for this new role. Please continue to give her and the TCK member care team wisdom. We pray for teenagers and other children who might have especially challenging times during transition. Guard their hearts and help them to cling to You as they find their own place in The Great Pursuit.