Every family that serves with GSI has unique challenges. One of the biggest challenges for families with kids living overseas among unreached people groups is figuring out what method(s) to use to educate their children. As you can imagine these are huge questions for  parents. They want their kids to feel at home in the community where they live and yet at the same time to be prepared for school back in their home country. There is not a one-size fits all approach. Many families use a combination of local school and homeschooling, so their children fit in with their local friends and are prepared for the life ahead. Here is a story from the field how one family accomplishes this balancing act.

When the first moved to Central Asia, Jeff & Mia made the decision to send their two older children to local schools. This has been a great way for their children to learn the local language and make friends, and also for Jeff & Mia to become more immersed in their local community by getting to know the teachers and other parents. Mia decided to also do some American homeschool on the side, so that her children would be prepared if they ever need to attend school back in America, and so they will have some understanding of their home culture.

Typically, they have time for a couple lessons of American school at breakfast and after dinner.

Even though they don’t officially observe daylight savings time in this town, some of the schools move their schedules back an hour so kids don’t have to walk home in the dark. This was the case at their son Tyler’s school. This change in schedule actually allowed Mia to come to his school and work on one or two lessons of their American curriculum during his lunch break. She would go up to the gate, and be let in by the guard. Sometimes they would sit outside near the playground and review spelling words, or occasionally they were able to use an empty classroom inside. Of course, the other children in Tyler’s class were very curious about this, and would often crowd around to listen and watch. Even if they did have a chance to use a classroom, kids would still crowd by the windows to knock and wave.

One day, when Mia arrived she found out the guard who usually opened the gate for her was sick. Usually she would still be able to wait for someone with key to walk by, but all the teachers were in a meeting that day. She called Tyler over to the fence, and the two of them attempted to review his spelling words by talking to one another through the fence. This elicited even more curiosity than usual from his classmates, who all crowded around to watch and ask questions. Mia admitted that while, of course, this can be distracting, she enjoys the inquisitive minds of the other children and the opportunity to answer questions about their home culture.

Join with us in praying  for Jeff, Mia, and their kids as the continue to build relationships in this community!

*Names and places changed for security purposes.