You are my God,
and I will give you thanks;
You are my God,
and I will thank you.

Give thanks to the Lord,
for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Psalms 118: 28, 29

The Families in Global Transition's conference was wonderful. Part of that wonderfulness came from being with people with whom you have so much in common. So thank you, Joyce Blake, for putting together such a wonderful, full-of-information and practical-tips-filled conference for us all. The next conference will be in March, 2007, in Houston. I attended the pre-conference workshop on catching the dream when you've lived so much of your life in transition. I plan to share it with a new adult MK friend of mine, who for no specific reason is itching to move again - move anywhere - because it doesn't feel right to be in one place for very long. I also attended Ruth Van Reken's session on Third Culture Kids: Prototypes for Understanding Other Cross Cultural Kids. I had heard some of her material before at the Mental Health and Missions conference in Indiana last year, but she has added some important data to her presentation. Ruth has come up with a Cross-Cultural Kids (CCKs) Model. CCKs are 1) traditional TCKs; 2) Children of Bi-multi-cultural Parents; 3) Children of Immigrants; 4) Children of Refugees; 5) Children of Minorities; 6) International Adoptees; and 7) "Domestic" MKs. This last category is interesting. Domestic MKs are children whose parents have moved in or among various subcultures within the child's home country. Children can find themselves in more than one category, e.g. I know several bi-multi-cultural couples who have international adoptee children.

I find Ruth's work and Barbara Schaetti's research (applying minority identification theory to TCK identity theory) fascinating. I would like to take time someday to investigate how Terry LaFramboise studies of minority acculturation fit MKs and TCAs (Third Culture Adults). Each of these groups that Ruth has called CCKs all experience cycles of mobility, differing socio-economic factors, hidden losses and benefits/challenges similar to traditional third culture communities. The TCK research can be applied to CCKs. Mary Pipher, touches on many of these CCK issues in her book, In the Middle of Everywhere. If you haven't read this book, then please do. I think every new church planter should read this book.

At the conference I also viewed a 90 minute film on military brats. I emailed the contact at the web-site yesterday to see if the film is available for purchase. In grad school I took an independent study on the military family - military brats are considered TCKs. When military brats turn 18 they are on their own - no more privileges (read Conway's The Great Santini). Since the time I studied military families to now, there have been a number of positive changes. A large contingent of DOD employees attended the FIGT conference whose only purpose is to help the families of military personnel with any need they have. My prayer is that the church will continue to make the same kinds of improvements in caring for her warrior families.

Hurricane Rita seems to be heading straight for the Texas coast. At the moment it is a force 5 hurricane. A million+ evacuees are leaving the Texas coastal areas. There are no motel/hotel rooms left within 150 miles of the metro-plex. Tarrant county churches are opening up their buildings to these evacuees. On the big signs on the interstate which warn motorists of up-coming accidents/road work and of Amber-alerts, a phone number is displayed for evacuees to call who need a place to stay. It is estimated that an additional 15,000+ people have come to the metro-plex for shelter. This is on top of the 30,000+ evacuees housed here from hurricane Katrina.

Please remember evacuees when you pray. These are the victims of catastrophes of major proportions. Pray that Christians will continue to respond personally and corporately with generosity to this great need. The need will continue to be with us for the next several years. All the needs of the tsunami victims have not been met yet either. Pray that evacuees will look to God as their strength and support. Regardless of what happens in this life we need to remember:

Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man
(Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV).

Love's prayers,

Dottie