Is this Normal?

My childhood was fairly normal. At least it felt normal. I grew up attending mostly a public school and was involved in many activities like cheerleading, basketball, and choir. I had many friends where we would spend countless hours bowling, shopping, playing softball and basketball. I was also heavily involved in my youth group at church. I was there for every lock-in, car wash, bake sale, and youth activity that we had to offer. I also sang in the church choir and did a special every now and then during the worship service. Because of this normalcy in my life, I didn't really understand that my life wasn't ordinary...it was extraordinary. You see, I wasn't just someone growing up in a Christian home. I was a pastor's kid and not just any pastor's kid but a missionary's kid as well and with that came great responsibility.

My name is Janice Donoho and I'm the daughter of former Free Will Baptist Home Missionaries, Cliff and Kathy Donoho. My entire childhood was spent helping my parents plant churches right here in the United States. When I was seven years old my parents answered the call to missions. They didn't feel the call to go overseas to plant churches but instead they felt the call to share the gospel and plant churches here in the U.S. We first moved to Salem, IL. After being there for eight years we moved to Davenport, IA. I was 14 years old and had just finished my freshman year of high school. Then when I was 23 years old and just graduated from college my parents made their last move as Home Missionaries to Nashville, TN.

Two times in my childhood I had to leave everything that I knew and everything that was comfortable to me and move to some far off place where I didn't know anyone or anything. It was scary. People would say, "What do you have to be scared for? You aren't moving to some foreign country where you can't speak their language. You will still have the same comforts that you have now." Well, that is true but anytime you move to a place where you don't know a single person or live in a state that you have never visited before, it's a scary experience. Especially if you are a southerner moving to the north or if you are a yankee moving to the south. Let's face it, it's two totally different cultures and for a seven year old and a 14 year old it's scary. The last church my parents started wasn't as big a deal for me because I was in my twenty's and already living in Nashville. I was completely at ease for helping them plant this church. That could also be because I now at that time had 17 years of church planting experience.

I mention all this to say to you current "MKs" or missionary kids, I know what you are facing. I've been there...three times. I understand the feelings, thoughts and pressures that you are facing everyday in this extraordinary life you live. I understand that sometimes you are overlooked as your parents get all the focus and attention as they build this church for the Lord. But what you need to realize and what others should realize is that you are more than just kids. You are missionaries as well. God did call your parents into missions but in all honestly He called you too. You have an unbelievable responsibility that God has given you. You come in contact with people that your parents never will and you have the opportunity to share the gospel with them where they might not hear it anywhere else. You are just as much missionaries as your parents. Accept that challenge and embrace it with your whole heart to win more souls for Him.

My vision for this blog is to be an encouragement to you as FWB Home Missionaries children. But it's not just limited to our missionary's kids. I want to be an encouragement to all kids no matter what age. Each week I will post a blog of encouragement or try to answer any questions you may have about anything. This is where I will need your help. If you have any questions or have a topic that you would like for me to discuss, please email me at janice@nafwb.org. I will do my best to give you my point of view about growing up in this extraordinary life.