Today we have Abby with us! Welcome, Abby!
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and the different cultures you are part of?
My name is Abby. I’m 16 years old and in 11th grade. I was born in Argentina, which is where my mom is from. I lived in Central Asia for about a year when I was a baby before going to the US for my little brother to be born. Then we moved to Turkey, where we lived for 11 years. That is the place I consider home. Then at the end of my 8th grade year, we moved to Michigan (where my dad is from), for us to go to high school.
If you could choose one place from your travels as a TCK to revisit, where would it be and why?
If I could revisit any place I’ve been to, it would probably be Oxford, England. We used to go there every summer for about five years, and it felt like a second home. I love it there because of all the greenery, the downtowns, and Blackwell’s bookstore. You’re practically reliving history by walking down roads C.S. Lewis walked down or eating at pubs Tolkien wrote at. I also love scones with clotted cream or the custard donuts you can buy.
What is the hardest thing about being a TCK?
I think the hardest part about being a TCK is the goodbyes. People are always coming and going and it feels like life is a series of goodbyes. One of my best friends moved away when I was nine, I lost complete contact with another close friend when she moved to the States, and I practically said goodbye to everyone I knew when we moved to the US.
How has being a TCK helped you when interacting with people?
Being a TCK has a mixed impact on relationships. When I’m overseas, I can connect immediately with other TCKs and MKs because of similar experiences, and I feel at ease talking to them. Here in the US, it was really hard getting to know people at first because I’ve had such different experiences from them. However, I think God blesses many TCKs with a natural gift for making friends and, because of that, I’ve been able to get to know lots of kids at my school here.
How has being a TCK influenced your faith?
Being a TCK has positively impacted my faith in God. Growing up, I heard so many stories of God healing people and showing up in amazing ways. I’ve also found that my faith really grows when I’m around a community of believing TCKs. It is so easy to worship God in a bigger community and see how He works in so many different ways. I personally experienced Him on a class trip to Montana when the Holy Spirit filled me and my classmates. There was a lot of crying, laughing, prophesying, and speaking in tongues. I feel like I have never been closer to God than I am right now, and I am so grateful for the experiences He has given me.
What is one thing you would like to tell your fellow TCKs?
I know that life always seems to go up and down, especially for TCKs. There’s always a change: a new person, another move, a scary experience. But you have a God who loves you, cares about you, and has a plan for you, no matter how low things seem at the moment. So when you’re tired, or sick, or just feel done with the way things are, go to God and He will renew your strength like the eagle (Isa. 40:31) and will give you rest. So I pray that you will learn to trust Him day by day, especially during the hard times, and learn to rest on Him more than anything earthly.
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Abby!
Disclaimer: Opinions or views shared in this interview may not reflect those of the TCKs for Christ team.
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