Living as an exile feels foreign to many of us who are settled comfortably in our home countries. Yet for missionary families like Andy, Natalie, and their children, this is their daily reality. Their journey across multiple continents, cultures, and challenges offers profound insights into what it truly means to follow Christ beyond the comforts of cultural Christianity.
Natalie’s story begins in deep South Texas, where Christianity was simply part of the cultural package – “We’re American, we’re Texan, we’re Baptist, we’re Christians.” It wasn’t until her parents’ divorce during her college years that she began questioning what faith truly meant. This pivotal moment led her to a deeper understanding of Scripture and God’s heart for the nations. Step by step, saying “yes” to opportunities that came her way, she found herself first in the Middle East, then East Asia, discovering that God was working everywhere – not just in places where Christianity was culturally embedded.
Andy’s journey began quite differently in Boulder, Colorado, where, as he describes it, “you could believe anything you wanted, as long as it wasn’t in Jesus.” His experience living as a Christian minority in a predominantly secular environment prepared him for cross-cultural ministry in unexpected ways. A seemingly random nudge to visit East Asia during a summer break led to a life-changing decision when he and a friend ventured overseas without any cultural knowledge or language skills. They made up for what they lacked in preparation with enthusiasm – even bleaching their hair white to stand out even more in a place where they couldn’t blend in.
What’s particularly striking about their story is how they navigate constant uncertainty. Unlike most of us who crave five-year plans and stable futures, this family has learned to embrace a life where change can come at any moment. From being interrogated by authorities to sudden evacuations during COVID without even returning home to pack belongings, they’ve experienced the kind of instability that would terrify many of us. Yet in this uncertainty, they’ve discovered something profound – God remains constant when everything else is shifting.
Their daughter Jenda, now heading to college in the United States, brings another fascinating perspective as a Third Culture Kid (TCK). Having grown up across multiple countries, her sense of “normal” drastically differs from that of her American peers. Ironically, her most difficult “exile” experience wasn’t overseas but in San Antonio during COVID, where the familiar community structures were absent. Through all these transitions, she’s learned to find her sense of home not in a physical place but in her relationship with God and her family.
Perhaps the most powerful insight from their story is how their seeming instability has allowed them to be pillars of stability for others. In refugee communities and among international students, their willingness to embrace uncertainty has positioned them to minister to those experiencing even greater upheaval. Their lives embody the paradox found in Jeremiah 29 – that God’s promise of “plans to prosper you” wasn’t about material comfort but about his faithful presence even in exile.
