What is life really like for a student at an international Christian school? Faith Academy alumni and OMF Australia creatives team member Lorenzo Ortega just might surprise you…

“You went to an international school? That must have been a really great experience!”

People usually can’t quite place where I’m from when I speak. When I tell them I went to an international school, they’re right; it really was a great experience! I got to study alongside classmates from all over the world, take part in supportive extracurriculars, and keep up with strong academic standards without the intense pressure many students face in more demanding education systems across Asia.

What made it truly special was that my school was a Christian one. It was a missionary school with a heart for evangelism both locally and globally. It was also home to many expat families working in embassies and international organizations in the Philippines. That environment shaped my perspective on the world and reminded me how incredible God is for creating such diversity. I realized that our unity wasn’t just about striving for peace or understanding, as many organizations promoting diversity often emphasize. It came from something far deeper: our shared love for Jesus and what He has done on the cross for all humanity, and our proper response to share that with the world.

Growing up in a cross-cultural environment can also be isolating. Third Culture Kids (TCKs) like me are often described as citizens of everywhere and nowhere. We learn to adapt easily and root our identity more in people than in places. This gives us a broad worldview and deep empathy, but it can also bring feelings of restlessness and rootlessness. Home can feel like everywhere and nowhere at once.

Belonging everywhere and nowhere means learning to adapt and finding connection through shared experiences rather than geography. Even if there is no shared experience, we learn to create one with people we just met and make a sense of home wherever we go! However, each goodbye was painful. I built friendships with people I thought would always be part of my life, only to see them fly off to another country or continent God had called them to serve. A small part of my heart felt torn each time I said goodbye to close friends, not knowing if I would ever see them again. Yet through all those farewells, I came to understand that home is ultimately found in God’s presence and in the people He places in our lives.

Life at Faith Academy

Faith Academy was a place where everyone was from everywhere. The school was filled with missionary kids and their families, and supported by a network of mission organizations serving across the Philippines and in different parts of Asia. Many teachers and staff stayed for years so that missionary parents could continue their work with peace of mind, knowing their children were safe, cared for, and nurtured both academically and spiritually.

The teachers and classmates were some of the kindest people I have ever met, and God’s love was evident in how they cared for one another.

I especially loved extracurriculars like All for Jesus, where we reached out to Manila’s urban poor, played games with children, and shared God’s Word.

Another highlight was Model United Nations, which gave me opportunities to meet students from other international schools, learn from diverse perspectives, and think deeply about global issues beyond my own experience.

Singing in the choir was also one of my favorite parts. I just loved how music brought people together and helped us express our faith in such a joyful way. Doing it in different languages is something I miss most about life at Faith.

Some of my other favorite moments were Wednesday chapel and Monday youth group. Those times gave us space to pause, reflect on Jesus, and take a break from academics. They helped us stay grounded and reminded us of what truly matters in life.

The Spiritual Impact of Faith Academy

Faith Academy shaped my faith in profound ways (no pun intended). It helped me understand what it means to follow Christ in a mission context and reminded me of the privilege of knowing Him. The school showed me the beauty and power of a Christian community, not perfect, but one that lifts you up when you fall and reflects God’s character of service and love, not just when it’s easy, but even when it means stepping out of your comfort zone to care for someone who may not reciprocate that same care.

When my grandfather passed away, the school counselors were a huge comfort. They helped me process my grief and reminded me of the hope and assurance that Jesus conquered death.

What also stood out was how many of my classmates viewed serving God in missions as their life’s calling. It was such a contrast to other circles I knew, where success was often measured by wealth or status. At Faith, our conversations often centered on storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.

Transition from Faith to Sydney

Moving to Australia felt surprisingly smooth, by God’s grace, thanks to my familiarity with living among diverse cultures. I did not experience much culture shock, but I felt a quiet longing whenever I saw how confidently others identified with their home countries.

At Faith, I felt most like myself, but in other cultural circles, I often felt quiet and shy. In Sydney, I sometimes envied friends who had strong national identities and took pride in where they came from. When someone said, “I’m from Singapore” or “I’m from Hong Kong,” there was an instant connection with others from the same place. For me, community looked much more different. I found it among people from many backgrounds, especially those who, like me, lived in the in-between spaces.

One experience that happened often in Sydney was people being surprised to learn I did not speak Chinese fluently, as if my face should automatically determine the language I spoke. I worked part-time giving university tours to students and their families, and it was mostly their parents who made the remark. These moments reminded me that I would probably always feel a little like a foreigner wherever I went. Over time, I have learned to be at peace with that. (sidenote: I also pray that God will one day use my efforts to grow in Chinese as a way to share the gospel with the Chinese community at my current ‘home’).

I even started a little game whenever people asked where I was from. Only about one in five guessed correctly, with most guesses being Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. These moments reminded me how often people view Asia through just a few cultural lenses. Being in cross-cultural settings helped me see beyond that and recognize that people are far more complex than the stereotypes often attached to their backgrounds, and that Asia is far bigger and more diverse than just three countries.

I am from the Philippines, at least that is what my passport says, but for TCKs, identity runs deeper than nationality. With East Asian heritage in my family, I grew up blending different values and traditions, creating our own kind of subculture. Attending an international school where everyone spoke like characters from American sitcoms added to that mix and made me reflect more deeply on who I am.

I am grateful for all the different things that make me who I am, but most importantly, I am most proud of my identity rooted in Christ, which is the only thing that truly matters.

The truth is that all of us are wired with a deep longing to belong, to find a place or people that feel like home. But no matter how good a city, career, or relationship is, none of them can fully satisfy that ache in us, because nothing on this earth was ever meant to. We’re ultimately longing for the day Christ returns and brings us home for good.

As 2 Corinthians 5:1 says, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Knowing that this life is temporary and that we’re made for eternity has helped me love people wherever I go, seeing places as mission fields rather than idols where I store up material treasures that won’t last. It’s made me more willing to go wherever God sends, because home is truly wherever He is.

Praying for Faith Academy

Transitions remain one of the biggest challenges for Faith Academy students. Many struggle when returning to their home countries or moving elsewhere for university or mission work because they no longer share the same sense of community or understanding with their peers. Please pray that they find belonging and peace wherever God leads them.

Pray also for more teachers and staff who are passionate about both education and mission, people willing to serve in Southeast Asia and help nurture the next generation of Christian leaders.

Lastly, please pray for unity among the students. May missionary kids, students from non-missionary families, and the local community continue to grow in love and understanding for one another, using their diverse backgrounds to build God’s kingdom together. May the lives of Faith Academy’s students and staff remain living testimonies of Christ’s love in the Philippines and beyond.