Being a long-term missionary means embracing a life of beautiful challenges and profound growth.
Imagine starting from scratch with every single daily task! A quick trip to “grab a…” can turn into an hours-long adventure as you learn the ropes in a new culture.
Imagine navigating the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) differences in social norms and communication. What might seem like a simple misunderstanding can actually be a deep dive into cultural nuances!
Aaand Imagine that everywhere you go, you’re noticed, and everything you do might become a topic of conversation- especially when you get it “wrong”.
It’s quite humbling.
It’s a constant learning curve, reminding me that communication is truly about more than just words – it’s about understanding hearts, cultures, and context.
These moments can leave you feeling like you’ve “messed it up again,” but they are also incredible opportunities for growth and deepening our connections.
Being real however, some of the hardest challenges are not what missionaries walk into, but what they walk away from.
Specifically, family.
Although Guatemala is not terribly far from Ohio, the logistics are pretty rough.
First, it’s 5 (sometimes 8) hours to the airport from Quiche. Realistically, this often means leaving the day before flying to stay in a more central area. Then, in recent years, layovers have gotten less reliable, often leading to 24-30 hour airport travel days despite only 6 hours of actual airtime. All told, it’s about 2 days traveling on each end of the trip.
These trips are also quite expensive.
This makes them once a year kind of trips.
That means I’ve been blessed to witness the birth of four nieces and nephews, but also that I only get a few precious days a year with them.
Just a handful of soccer games and birthday parties scattered across their childhoods.
It’s incredibly tough to miss so much.
But oh, what a gift modern technology is (though I do my fair share of complaining about it lol)!
I think back to my brother’s time in China in 2003, when fleeting phone calls were expensive and rare.
Now?
I can video call my family stateside any time, day or night, completely free! It’s a miracle to chat with them, to see their faces, and to be present in their lives in a way previous generations of missionaries could only dream of.
It’s a unique feeling to know my youngest niece exclusively recognizes me as the “Auntie on the screen” – her sweet face lighting up as she sees me through her Mom’s phone.
For the older ones, these phone calls reinforce the physical visits, and truly help the distance feel less. I am grateful for these moments, even though they are from afar.
And while I long for the day the littlest Riley remembers my face from a real-life visit, the day when she can find my voice in a crowded room, and remembers playing physically with her auntie, I truly cherish these virtual moments– and sharing her breathtaking smiles with my husband who hasn’t held her yet
What a wonderful life she has ahead!
For now, I’m content to embrace the miracle of video calls that allow me to see her alive with expression, reacting to my movements and sounds from 2,000 miles away.
Happily, I’m her auntie on the screen.
