It is a Wednesday evening and about 20 of us are gathered in a traditional German restaurant in a trendy part of Berlin. Most of us have never met before yet we are chatting like old friends. “What do you say when people ask you where you’re from?” asks Marina. We all laugh. And groan. We all dread that question, because we are living or have lived outside of the country we grew up in. Questions about home and identity are tricky.
Marina, who brought us together, grew up in Slovakia and has since lived in Belgium and Spain. My own story has taken me from Hamburg, Germany to France, Russia, and the UK. For now, our journeys intersect in Berlin. There is something incredibly special about being around people who “get” a part of your story many others do not. It creates an instant bond.
My love of engaging with people from across the globe is a huge part of who I am. Yet there is also a deeper story at play. My favourite moments come when the two connect, like they did on that Wednesday evening in a restaurant in Berlin. My identity as a child of God impacts every part of who I am, including how I view other cultures and how I engage with the challenges of living cross-culturally. As we talk about our lives as internationals, I have an opportunity to share the difference my faith makes in living through some of the same struggles others around the table experience. What a privilege!
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Ain't Mine No More 