Conner is one of our TCKs (Third Culture Kids) who lives on the Silk Road. Sometimes we forget that our kids have their boots on the ground as well. You’ll enjoy hearing from Conner’s perspective today. 

Magazines are little corner shops here in my country on the Silk Road. I often go there to buy a drink, some chips or some groceries for my mom. On one of these trips to the magazine, there was a boy who stopped to asked me if I wanted to play. At the time I didn’t know the local language well enough to know for sure what he was asking.

I went inside and set down the groceries for my mom. She asked me what was wrong and I started to cry, “Mom, there was a boy outside. I think he asked me if I wanted to play, but I wasn’t sure. So I just said no.” 

My mom told me that she knew exactly what it felt like to not understand because of the language barrier. “We are all learning,” she said. And then she said,

“Let’s pray for another chance at friendship with him.” 

I was sure that he wouldn’t be near our gate anymore. He had walked off in a different direction, and I didn’t know where he lived. My mom told me that she was sure that God would give me another chance and that if he was there that she would help me communicate. We prayed. And we went outside, opened the door, and there he was.  So we tried it again. This time I asked, “Do you want to play?”. “Yes, let’s play,” he responded.

That summer Seno spent hours with me playing in my courtyard. 

We don’t live as close as we used to, but we still see each other and spend time together sometimes. It was great to have a good friend that helped me with language when I didn’t know much. God gave me a friend (and a second chance) when I didn’t have many.