(Nov. 11, 2011 - by Ralph Kurtenbach) Having served in international churches on three different continents, retired missionary Kenneth D. MacHarg has released a new book about the spiritual challenges and joys often experienced by expatriates.

Singing the Lord's Songs in a Foreign Land: Biblical Reflections for Expatriates offers readers a collection of biblical reflections and insight into the feelings and questions of those living in a foreign land.

Based on biblical principles, the book is intended to encourage expatriates and help them live full lives overseas, according to MacHarg, who has pastored seven English-language international congregations in five countries.

He and his wife, Polly, lived in Latin America (including Ecuador, Costa Rica and Honduras) for about 12 years followed by five years in Miami, Fla. Then they served as missionaries in Costa Rica for 2½ years before retiring in Carrollton, Ga.

Although officially retired, the MacHargs continue to be active in ministry around the world. Recently they pastored an international congregation in Central Asia.

An estimated 3 to 6 million U.S. citizens live abroad in roles such as students, educators, missionaries, embassy workers, business people, diplomats, Peace Corps volunteers and military staff.

Each expatriate faces the challenges of living in another culture, learning a sometimes difficult language, feeling homesick, experiencing grief at the loss of what is familiar, asking God why He seems to have taken them so far away and why life is so difficult.

Polly and Ken MacHarg

Times of unparalleled joy and excitement, new adventures, fascinating cultural differences, wonderful food and supportive new friends also make up the expatriate experience. The Bible speaks to these and other emotions. MacHarg says his book offers biblical insight into those feelings and questions that you have while living in a foreign land.

The book is available at Createspace, a self-publishing website (https://www.createspace.com/3713708). MacHarg has self-published earlier books and has also been published by Colombia-based Editorial Buena Semilla, Latin America Mission (LAM), Miller Publishing Company and William Carey Library.

In 2005 LAM published the book, Not in Vain, which MacHarg coauthored with David M. Howard. Three years earlier LAM released MacHarg's Proclaiming the Gospel: Guidelines for Local Christian Programming Around the World.

The MacHargs formerly served as missionaries at Radio Station HCJB in Quito, Ecuador. After that they were missionaries with LAM, first in Miami and then at the Universidad Evangélica de las Américas (Evangelical University of the Americas or UNELA) in Costa Rica where MacHarg headed the communications department.

Sources: HCJB Global, Global Village, www.time.com