Imagine that you've never heard of a double–double, a Tim Hortons coffee with two sugars and two creams. Why don’t you know this? Well, it could be because you grew up somewhere far away from Canada — in Malawi, the Ukraine, or Japan.

Now imagine moving here as a young adult who is just about to enter university or apply for a job. Next, add to your move the wrinkle that you are Canadian by birth, so it looks to everyone around you like Canada has always been your home.

These are the challenges that many missionary kids (MKs) face when they move from the countries where their parents have been serving back to their birth country. They are hidden immigrants, and like immigrants, they experience culture shock and question about their identity as they try to fit into a community where they don’t yet feel they belong.

ReBoot is an annual retreat run by the Canadian MK Network and Ambrose University’s Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives. By getting together with other MKs and talking openly about the challenges that come with beginning adult life in Canada, MKs discover a safe place to learn and to share their life stories.

“We want MKs to be refreshed through worship and peer relationships in order to re–enter and navigate the transition to Canadian life and culture with God's grace,” said Cyndy Ingram, director for ReBoot Calgary.

Ingram said ReBoot helps MKs address three challenges: Canadian culture, identity, and transition. Candian culture is introduced through an Amazing Race-style challenge in downtown Calgary that requires MKs to get used to transit, learn how to open a bank account, get a job application, price out a meal in a grocery store, visit a local church to discover more about faith and spirituality in Canada, hiking in Johnston Canyon, tasting BeaverTails, and more.

During the identity portion, MKs explore what it means to be themselves using questions such as What’s unique to people who grow up between two different cultures? How do MKs answer when someone asks where they’re from? How can they retain their MK–ness and still find acceptance and belonging in Canada?

This session is followed by information on transition. MKs receive affirmation that their feelings of grief and loss are a natural response to the transitions that occur with an international move. Teaching and space to process help to normalize these feelings and offer hope that everyone can move forward in healthy ways.

“ReBoot Calgary was held at Ambrose from August 7 to 14,” Ingram said. “We had a very full schedule, with daily teaching sessions, outings, small group sessions, free time, group activities, and late night dorm debriefs. We were all exhausted by the end, but it was hugely satisfying to see how God worked during the week.”

Many MKs were not sure what to expect when they came to ReBoot, but by the end of the week strong relationships had been forged, built on love, acceptance, and common life experiences.

MKs shared the following responses after the event:

“For me, one of the best things about ReBoot was being able to connect with MKs who had been through similar experiences to mine and understanding both the amazing and challenging parts of being an MK.”

“ReBoot is a weeklong event that gives you pointers on how to best adjust to Canada. What I liked about it was that we were able to share our stories with other MKs and see that we are not ‘out of normal’.”

“I loved meeting other MKs like me and being able to create relationships with each one.”

“It was a great time to bond with people just like us. At first, I was cynical, but the group got closer together and it was fantastic. The seminars also helped with the transition of moving to a different country.”

“The best part of ReBoot was the people. I loved getting to know other MKs who were so similar to me. I felt like I could be so free and not hide my weirdness :-)”

“I loved it, it was amazing. I wish it was longer. Thank you for this amazing experience!” 

--Ambrose University