Highlights of rekonnect kids 2025
It is never dull at Dovedale!
Catapults, campfires, boat races, film night, river paddling, craft, and swimming. At kids
camp we had a lot of fun, the days were busy with crafts, treasure hunts and outdoor
activities. But it we had more serious moments too.
Every morning we worshipped together, our songs are chosen to help the kids at camp see that God is with them on their sometimes complicated journeys. “Wherever you lead me, I’m going to follow, I’m trusting you Lord, you are good” and “Everywhere we go, on this road high and low, where I go I go with you.” After worship the looked at the book of Ruth, Naomi is going back home, but for Ruth Israel is not a familiar place, it is not home.
This story is such a lovely parallel to the lives of our TCKs, many of whom do not think of the UK as ‘home.’ It gives us a chance to look at Ruth’s experience and through that also look at our own. Who did she have to say goodbye to? What was it like being the outsider in her new community? How did she make friends? And through it all, God was there and God had a plan. We mustn’t forget the WOW moments too. WOW is Window On the World, and it is the time when each family has time to share about the country(ies) they have lived in. Pictures, clothes, carvings, food and even musical instruments are shown and explained with enthusiasm. Campers take time to pray for each family too.
The best part of camp is always meeting other kids who ‘get it.’ TCKs quickly make friends
with other TCKs because they all understand what it is like to belong to more than one place. Our leaders ‘get it’ too, and most of them are TCKs or work with TCKs. What a great bunch they are! We always seem to pack a lot into the 4 days, but for me one of the best parts is hearing the comments from the kids as they leave, how it was fun, but also helped them on the journey.
Rebecca (kids leader)
Highlights of rekonnect teens 2025
Rekonnect teens 2025 was a fantastic week enjoyed by teens and leaders alike. A team of nine leaders welcomed 18 teens from around the globe to the Peak Centre in Edale, where we enjoyed an action-packed week filled with food, crafts, drama, outdoor activities, and time exploring what it means to be a TCK.
Seeing some of our older teens step up was a particular joy of this year. Their positive attitude and eager contributions to the games, seminars, talks and worship helped set the culture and tone of the whole group and provided a wonderful example for younger teens to follow.
In our evening sessions, we dove into God’s word through reading (and acting out) the story of Joseph and his family in Genesis, focussing on how his story points to Jesus – our Rock in times of trouble and transition. In our seminar sessions, we also covered important topics for Third Culture Kids entering, or re-entering, the UK. These included coping with change, what to expect at school or university, how to stay safe in those environments, and how to connect with those who have grown up in a monocultural environment.
We were privileged to have a dedicated and caring team of nine leaders this year, all of whom had first-hand experience working with TCKs, or being TCKs themselves. Particularly powerful were the testimonies that leaders shared in the evening sessions, all of which offered a unique angle on the TCK experience, but more importantly, what it means to be a follower of Jesus through every season of life.
As always, we count it an immense privilege to have played a part in these teens’ ‘reconnection’ to the UK and pray that this week will have an impact in the weeks and months to come as they and their families establish themselves in this country.
John (teens leader)
