mkPLANET Newsletter: June '08

Hello mkPLANET Members! Here's a look at the topics in your June '08 newsletter:

OVERVIEW:

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Book Club: It's decision time - Vote by June 10!
- MKs: We have one chance to be heard. What will we say?
- MK Anthology: Submissions Call
- News from MuKappa: Call for MK Devotional Submissions
- mkPLANET Needs Volunteers

2. FORUM CONVERSATIONS
- Check below for the latest active topics

3. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG
- The Care and Feeding of Missionary Kids
- Egypt: A Whole New Light
- From Tree Forts to Castles: One MK's Transition Experience

4. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS
- Albania: MK Retreat (grades 9-12)
- United States: MK Reentry Camp
- United States: Interaction's Transition Seminar

5. SUPPORT mkPLANET
- New ways to support mkPLANET
- Learn more about Joel & Dana, mkPLANET Administrators

6. CHECK US OUT AT www.mkplanet.com!

Click 'Read More...' for the full newsletter:

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS

mkPLANET Book Club
• Our Top 5 books have been posted!
• VOTE by June 10 for your first choice.
• Click here to see our Top 5 books and to learn how to vote!

MKs: We have one chance to be heard. What will we say?
Some of you may be familiar with our What MKs Wish series in mkPLANET's forums:

- What MKs Wish Churches Knew
- What MKs Wish Dorm Parents Knew
- What MKs Wish Schools Knew

These threads were recently published in mkPLANET's May Newsletter. We're highlighting them again because a Desiring God Blog writer has expressed an interest in hearing MKs' voices - YOUR voices - on these issues. This is a unique opportunity for the MK community to be heard by the larger Christian community.

If this were your one chance to speak your mind, what would you say? Here's How to Get Involved

MK Anthology: Submissions Call
• Are you an MK bursting to get your story heard? Well then, we want to hear from you. We are currently working to publish an anthology of quality non-fiction MK stories that honestly examine the MK experience from multiple perspectives. We want people to be challenged and encouraged, to be laughing and crying after reading this book. We want MKs to be able to find themselves in this anthology, and for non-MKs to understand the heights and depths that MKs wrestle with. If this sounds like your kind of book, send us your stories.
• Get involved!

News from MuKappa: Call for MK Devotional Submissions
• MuKappa is hoping to compile a devotional for MKs, by MKs. This 365 day devotional aims to encourage MKs during their first year "back" from the mission field.
• The deadline has been extended
• For more info check out: www.mukappa.org and http://mkdevotional.googlepages.com/home

mkPLANET Needs Volunteers
• We are looking for volunteers to work with us on a variety of projects in our community, including forum moderators, tech support, chefs, and more.
• We're hoping to build a truly international team. View available volunteer positions!


2. FORUM CONVERSATIONS

Active Topics
• TCK Picture Books
• Culture
• By request: Furlough stories!
• Missionary-Themed music! ( YouTube videos -if possible ! :D)
• I'm going to college!
• How Savage are YOU?
• the things that live in our yard.
• Monasteries

• Feel free to browse our Forum Index and jump into any of our discussions!


3. NEW AT mkPLANET's BLOG

• The Care and Feeding of Missionary Kids - by World Venture

This brief article mentions five practical ways to support MKs. It's especially targeted at supporting churches and others with connections to MKs living overseas.

• Egypt: A Whole New Light - Author Unknown

My "journey," if you will, began in Nevada. California, my "home" of 9 years, was gone. Turns out, Nevada was not in the "crystal blood." To put it mildly, Nevada and I just did not "mesh." I wanted to retreat back to California, back to my protective bubble of complacency and familiarity.

One year later exactly, my true journey commenced as I would be leaving [for] Egypt, and I was ecstatic. My world as I knew it would be altered, turned inside out, and completely flipped around. I would like to say that I immediately took to Egypt, but the truth is, I didn't. It has taken me 5 years to embrace Egypt and all it has to offer in its entirety.

• From Tree Forts to Castles - One MK's Transition Experience - by Kathleen Johnson

One brisk October evening in 2005, my 12 year old son and I made a visit to our soon-to-be home in the Netherlands. As is the norm in Holland, our rental house had been stripped bare, leaving behind only dingy walls, cold cement floors and bare windows. Loose wires hung from the ceilings where light fixtures once were. I became aware of an eerie familiarity between the emptiness of this house and the state of my soul. (...) As we walked into what was soon to be Kenny’s bedroom, he stomped his feet and slumped to the floor informing me that he was “never moving again”, unless it was back to our home in Minnesota . I had to ask myself, as I had many times in the past four weeks, “What in the world was I thinking in agreeing to leave my home, family, friends, and country to make a difference for Christ here?”

• These articles and lots more may be found at http://mkplanet.blogspot.com
• Now it's easier for anyone to make a post at our blog! To learn how to start posting, look in our sidebar under the section called "Are you a writer?"


4. UPCOMING MK/TCK EVENTS

Albania: MK Retreat (grades 9-12)
• Dates: June 2 - 6, 2008
• Location: Udhekryq facility, Erseke, Albania
• Organized by: Rebekka Neigh of OM and Jeremy Spaugh of Christar
• Cost: About 2000 lek plus transportation
• Contact: neighcef@yahoo.com

United States: MK Reentry Camp
• Dates: July 5 - 12, 2008
• Location: Bethel Christian Camp in Gaston, South Carolina, United States
• Organized by: Liz Stuart
• Cost: $350 US
• Contact: By email at ADMIN@mresourcesconnection.org or by telephone at 803-254-3313

United States: Interaction's Transition Seminar
• Dates: July 19 - 25, 2008
• Location: Olcott, New York, United States
• Website: http://www.interactionintl.org/transition.asp
• Deadline: Register by June 15, 2008 (registration after this date includes a $25 late fee)
• Cost: $350 US
• Organized by: Donna Sisk
• Contact: By email at donnasisk@interactionintl.org or by telephone at 630-653-8780

• Browse other MK/TCK events on mkPLANET Events Calendar
• Add your event to our calendar: Contact us today!


5. SUPPORT mkPLANET
• mkPLANET began in October 2004 as a place to connect MKs with one another. Since then we've grown not only in terms of membership (1400+), but also in our focus to serve the MK community in various ways as opportunities arise.

• mkPLANET is not for profit, and is made possible by the time and financial commitments of Joel & Dana Crawford (Suo & Dana), so support is always welcome. There are three ways you can support the work and leaders of mkPLANET:

1) Donate to the work of mkPLANET - Donations will be used to cover web hosting fees, updates, and upgrades as needed.

2) Donate a personal gift to Joel & Dana Crawford (a.k.a. Suo & Dana), the administrators of mkPLANET. Learn more about Joel & Dana.

3) Volunteer your time to help us out with a project. View available volunteer positions here.

• Your help is such a great resource for the development and continuation of mkPLANET, and your gifts are received with much gratitude. Thank you.


6. Check us out at www.mkplanet.com!
• Questions? If you have any questions about mkPLANET (e.g. how to post in the forums) please contact us at: administrator@mkplanet.com.
• Updates: If you wish to receive mkPLANET updates by email, send an email message to Dana with "Subscribe" in the Subject line. All of our updates will continue to be posted on our blog, and you may access them here at any time. Thanks!