Author Interview with Cathy Unger

  1. Tell us something fun about yourself that is not in your author bio.

 

I love downhill skiing! I started when I was three, did it as much as possible through my teen years, and instructed for a winter when I was 25. I still love it!

 

  1. What’s one thing you miss from North America when you are on the field, and one thing you miss from the field when you are in North America?

 

The biggest thing I miss when we are on the field is seasons. It really feels like there is no progress, no marking of time when you live in endless summer. However, one season leads to simplicity! You don’t need all the gear for all the different weather! I love having a simple wardrobe including only needing to have one pair of shoes (that they hardly wear) for each child!

 

  1. What do you think is the benefit of writing and sharing your story?

 

Writing helps me to process and organize my thoughts. Many times my thoughts are all tangled like a ball of string until I physically put them on paper. When someone identifies with my writing, then there is a shared experience. I think knowing we are not alone in what we think, feel, or experience in our cross cultural journeys is very important. Isolation can wreak havoc on our spiritual health.

 

  1. How do you create time/space in your life to write?

 

When we came back to Canada two years ago for our oldest daughter to complete high school, all the children went to school for the first time. After homeschooling for 11 years that was an incredible change in the “noise” level in my life! I had never had or found time to write anything more than a newsletter before then, but the new “quiet” allowed me to more fully explore putting words to my life.

 

  1. Where besides Connection can our readers read your writing?

 

I don’t actually do any online writing other than Thrive.

 

  1. What are you reading/listening to now? (especially something that is a helpful resource)

 

Right now I am involved in a women’s Bible study on 2 Timothy called Entrusted by Beth Moore. It is a good encouragement to keep moving forward in ministry. I am also re-listening to a 2003 series by Alistair Begg (Truth for Life) on Titus. I remembered some teaching that Alistair had shared on some issues that were being discussed in our church recently and wanted to dig into that ground again.

 

  1. What do you think is the best kept secret out there (in terms of an organization or resource that is useful to global workers)?

 

I don’t know if it is a secret, but a church library can have “outdated” materials that it needs to move out to make room for new ones. I have found sermon cds very good for “food” in a land where internet (and often preaching) are a bit unreliable.

 

  1. Who (dead or alive) would you want as a mentor for life and ministry?

 

There isn’t someone specific who comes to mind, but that is not to say that I don’t want mentors! I seem to find them in my day to day circles, regular women who are just that little bit further in the journey than I am, women with whom I can identify and who encourage, admonish, and teach me.

 

  1. If you could choose a kitchen utensil or appliance that best described YOU, what would you choose and why?

 

My old Starbucks barista coffee machine! I absolutely love it; I love drinking coffee and I love sharing coffee with a friend. I received the machine second hand over 10 years ago and my husband has kept it running by taking it apart and cleaning it a number of times; it needs care to keep producing good coffee. It also only makes one cup at a time; you can’t just push a button and walk away, it takes attention. I sure don’t want to be high maintenance, but the reality is we all need some care (and cleaning!) if we are to keep serving well.

 

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