A letter from Nancy Dimmock serving in the U.S.
September 2014 - Transition
Dear Friends,
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Teachers longing for training and resources in South Sudan
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Early childhood education SO important worldwide
For our multi-cultural, internationally raised children, the hardest question to answer, and the most frequently asked in a new environment, is “Where are you from?” There are a number of reasonable answers to this question—their current address (east Louisville), the country they came from most recently (Zambia), where they were raised (Malawi or Lesotho), or where they were born (Malawi or the U.S.). In the “All about me” time at Jackson’s new elementary school, Jackson chose to tell his classmates that he was from Zambia in southern Africa. But two days later he came storming off the school bus saying, “I wish I had never told anyone I was from Africa. They keep asking me silly questions like, ‘Did you play with tigers?’ Don’t they know that tigers are in India?
Alifa, knowing it is unlikely that kids at her school know either Lesotho or Malawi, has told them that she is from South Africa. And still she gets the question, “Where is that?” Really?
It is no wonder that Andrew, the only one who can honestly say he is “from” the U.S. (having been born in Atlanta), has chosen to minimize the differences by giving his birthplace as the answer to this difficult question.
Our children are classic TCKs—Third Culture Kids. By definition a TCK is “a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside their parents’ culture." TCKs integrate aspects of their citizenship culture (the first culture) and the new culture (the second culture), creating a unique "third culture." TCKs generally tend to feel "out of sync" with their peers. They feel as if they understand other cultures/peoples better than the average American. They believe they can get along with anyone. They are adept at evaluating culture and language and adjusting to "fit in."
However, they are also, statistically, more susceptible to depression. We are still in early, difficult days of developing a new community and figuring out who we are in our new environment, so please do hold us ALL in your prayers.
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Wedding joy
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Dimmock family at Jesse's wedding
TRANSITION is the word that defines the past three months. We left Zambia at the end of June and flew to Lesotho to host a mission team from Mobile, Ala., who had traveled to visit, love and support the children under care at Ministry of Hope Lesotho. Andrew finished school on July 4 and we said goodbye (again) to everyone in Lesotho on the 7th to fly to the U.S. Coming from the southern hemisphere in July, the four children and I traveled in our winter jackets, with 10 footlockers full of a lifetime of mementos and childhood “treasures.” We landed on a Wednesday and walked into Frank’s waiting arms and the muggy heat of a Louisville summer evening. Whew—the adjustments had begun. We quickly stripped off our jackets and cringed all the way to our new home as Dad seemed to be driving on the “wrong” side of the road!
We spent one night in our Furlough Home apartment, repacked quickly. and drove to Illinois to help with our daughter, Jesse’s, wedding! It was a beautiful family and community affair. Both the ceremony and the reception were held in Saul’s grandmother’s 100+-year-old barn in the middle of a cornfield in central Illinois, and friends from all over the world came to celebrate with them.
After the wedding we had to rush back to Kentucky for Isaac’s sake. FOOTBALL practice started July 14, and he was determined to be a part of every minute of it! He was named JV quarterback, which was a thrill and an honor, but was later moved to tight end. He is a good thrower, but an even better catcher! He caught seven passes in the last game and ran one in for a touchdown! They have had a 4-3 season and are currently awaiting news of whether or not they qualify for the playoffs. It has been good fun and a great “connector” for Isaac.
Alifa and Andrew are attending Atherton High School. They are in 10th and 11th grades and are taking the standard courses at those levels, including learning American History and Government for the first time. They are challenged, every day as they seek to understand and navigate the myriad subcultures in the school, while learning new accents and new expectations from teachers. This is exhausting work, and we are proud of how well they have done during this first six-weeks marking period.
Meanwhile, I (Nancy), as a missionary-in-residence at the PC(USA) center, have been given the fun task of developing a devotional that links mission stories to the Common Lectionary texts. It is hoped that this will be a resource to pastors, giving them mission-related sermon illustrations—or perhaps an encouragement to all of us to participate in God’s mission wherever we are!
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Landing in Louisville
Frank is adjusting to sharing his space and time with five more people. The Furlough Home apartment is small, but fully furnished and a huge blessing to us as we slowly put down roots here in Louisville. At work he is busy with a new campaign called “Educate a Child, Transform the World.” This initiative was approved by our General Assembly in June 2014. Its aim is “to inspire, equip and connect Presbyterians to improve the quality of education for one million children globally over the next 4 years.” It recognizes the power of education to help break the cycles of poverty and seems to be resonating with education-minded Presbyterians. Within just one week of the launch of the initiative, PC(USA) congregations joined together and pledged $1.65 million for a big education project proposed for South Sudan! (There are a number of local and global ways to get involved in this exciting initiative to make a difference in the lives of a million children. Please read more to find out how: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/call-mission/poverty-alleviation/.)
While these are busy and stressful days for our family, we also recognize that we have much to be thankful for. We are thankful for meaningful work to do and supportive colleagues in World Mission. We are thankful to be near our older children and my parents, with opportunity to be a part of their lives now. We are thankful for a public school system that offers learning support and wants to help all children be successful. We are thankful for YOU, for walking with us on this faith journey. And we are thankful to God for the gift of faith itself, which allows us to KNOW that He is with us, giving us joy in the midst of struggle.
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12: 1b-2).
In Him,
Nancy, Frank, Andrew, Alifa, Isaac, and Jackson
1044 Alta Vista Rd.
Louisville, KY 40205
Read more about Nancy and Frank Dimmock's former ministry in Africa
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