After the Crisis Has Passed
Mar 16, 2020 1:15:57 PM Sarah Rymer Hope, Life, Love, Relationships, community, Crisis
If you are like me, you are receiving daily emails from every airline you’ve ever flown explaining all that they are doing to keep you safe if you travel with them. With constantly changing news and health and travel advisories, perhaps you, like many in IDEAS, have been forced to rethink or change your upcoming travel plans, conference attendance, and daily ...
The Therapy of a Language Class
Feb 24, 2020 11:55:11 AM Sarah Rymer Cyprus, Hope, IDEAS projects, Love, Relationships, community, Transformation
Last night I received a text from one of my English students. “Sorry to bother you, teacher. What does ‘capeesh’ mean? It’s not in the dictionary.”
My Thoughts Before You Go
Feb 10, 2020 11:39:33 AM Sarah Rymer Tunisia, Children, Families, Living Overseas, Love, Relationships
Today it hit me, wells of emotions came rushing from nowhere and shook me from the inside out. My son is going away from his family core to begin his own life away from us, away from what we call home at this moment in time.
What He Sees: An Optometrist in the Middle East
Feb 4, 2020 1:10:27 PM Sarah Rymer Healthcare & Wellness, Jordan, IDEAS projects, Relationships, Transformation
I am an optometrist living and serving in the Middle East. I examine refugee patients at two humble clinics situated within two local churches. I primarily see Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
How to Raise Your CQ
Jan 20, 2020 12:24:19 PM Sarah Rymer Life, Living Overseas, Relationships, Tips, Learning, Culture, Multiple Locations
Although we’re already halfway through the month of January, you may still be thinking about your goals for 2020 and for this new decade. Hopefully, you’ve not already given up on your New Year’s resolutions! As you think about the changes you’d like to make, maybe you are focused on the usual: losing weight, getting more exercise, or spending less time on ...
Keeping Grandparents Connected While Living Overseas
Jan 13, 2020 1:07:32 PM Sarah Rymer Children, Families, Living Overseas, Relationships, Tips, Technology
When my wife and I moved to Asia with our two boys many years ago, we knew that the only communication we would have with our family would be through letters. There would be the occasional phone call, but phone calls were expensive and the sound quality was poor. Our parents would experience their grandchildren growing up only though photographs and ...
What's Your Name?
Oct 21, 2019 11:15:50 AM Sarah Rymer Cyprus, Hope, IDEAS projects, Relationships, community, Transformation
As soon as the doors open at the refugee center, people start streaming in, a barrage of needs and desperate requests: “I can’t get food coupons.” “Can I take English classes?” “I need clothing.” “The hospital won’t help me.” “I don’t have a place to live.” Each request is a reminder of the sheer numbers of refugees and the limited resources ...
Holistic Care for Survivors of Trafficking
Sep 30, 2019 2:08:30 PM Sarah Rymer Healthcare & Wellness, Hope, IDEAS projects, Relationships, Transformation, Multiple Locations
Recently I led a weekend training workshop with a group that does outreach to sex workers in a nearby city. I always prepare to address self-care, boundaries, and other personal growth topics with the groups I’m training.
A Card Game and a Picnic: A Refugee Story
Jun 17, 2019 12:33:27 PM Sarah Rymer Cyprus, Hope, IDEAS projects, Relationships, community, Transformation
The first day I met "Karla," she was sitting at a table in a class I was substituting. Her eyes were big and fearful of this strange American teacher who had just walked in.
Signs of New Life
Apr 29, 2019 11:43:47 AM Sarah Rymer Hope, IDEAS projects, Love, Relationships, community, Transformation
This time of year I’m reminded of how life springs forth from the dry and barren ground and from trees that appear to be dead, like they will never come back to life. This reality reminds me that new life is always preparing to emerge unexpectedly from whatever loss or death I'm experiencing.