When I was in college, my Missionary Life Professor said that the saving grace for his wife while overseas was email. He said that being able to communicate easily with family and friends helped her adjust better, and curbed the affects of culture shock.
That was 10 years ago when the wide spread use of email and the Internet was still fairly new. Today, third world countries not only have the Internet, but more and more have access to broadband, and it is quickly spreading into the rual areas.
Gone are the days of analog cell phones. Now with GSM, your cell phone will work practically anywhere in the world---given you have signed up for the right plan, that is.
If hearing your loved one's voice isn't enough, you can see their face while talking live with your web cam over the Internet.
Can't handle just a web cam? Gotta see them face to face?? If you have the cash and a passport on hand, you can get to practically anywhere in the world in 24 hours.
Technology has made it possible for missionaries to stay connected with their family, something that was nearly impossible 100 years ago.
Back then, when you answered the call to be a missionary, you would say good bye to your family (sometimes forever), get on a boat, and make the long journey (often taking several weeks) to a foreign country. Your only connection to family or support of any type was the mail, and sometimes even that was not available.
I really admire those missionaries. What courage and faith to truly lay it all down. Not sure if I could do that....but I guess with God's grace anything is possible. Even so, I give thanks that I live in this era of technology.
I believe that my professor was right. I think today's technology will be my kid's saving grace. They will be able to stay connected with their world back home. It is my prayer that this will help them ease into their new life (even just for 2 months) and curb their culture shock...
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