Transitions are tough.
Post-transition can be even tougher.
Whether you’re returning home temporarily or permanently, equipping yourself for the process will make a such a difference, and prepare you for whatever is next.
Re-entry
Debrief
New Season
A Sender’s Role
Any fieldworker needs a great team of friends, family and colleagues supporting them. You have a huge part to play in ensuring their success. Check out what you can do to ensure your fieldworkers thrive!
- Please don’t view the missionary’s return as an event, but rather as a process that may be difficult for them.
- Reverse culture shock (or ‘re-entry stress’) can be as difficult, or even harder, for returnees to navigate than the original culture was! Often that is because it is unexpected.
- Be prepared to love and welcome the returnee home, even if they appear ‘difficult’ as they struggle with this phase.
- An ‘end-of-term’ debrief may have been given by their agency while still on the field, but a ‘returning home debrief’, around 6 weeks after the return may also be a welcome addition.
- This could be an informal, open-ended question, ‘interview’ style to allow the returning field worker to process their thoughts and feelings.
- A debrief can be useful, even for a temporary trip home to address issues that may be under the surface.
- Returning field workers will have experienced and learnt a vast amount, more than can be summarised in a mid-service update interview or a polite question over coffee after a service!
- A perceived lack of interest in this may lead to feelings of disappointment or offence for the returning field worker.
- Consider how you can communicate that their story and experiences matter, and how you can allow them to share them in an unpressured environment. Ensure the worker’s PACTeam is on hand to spend time with and support them.
- This may feel like a repeat of the pre-field sending out, but making the effort to mark the occasion and commission a returning fieldworker will ensure they feel supported.
- Be sure to surround them with prayer and encouragement.
- Commit to keeping engaged with them and track how they are doing over the early weeks especially. Make sure their PACTeam does not disband too soon – not until they are fully settled back and re-integrated in the community.
- A new season of belonging and of continuing service is what we should hope for when a mission partner returns home for good.
- Support them practically as they settle back in.
- Consider how you can involve this returning field worker in the church’s life – they have a wealth of experience and wisdom they can contribute!
Get Equipped
Here are some useful materials for whichever stage you are in
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
Building a Strong Support Base
In this course, we examine the different dimensions of support that are needed for a successful cross-cultural experience or lifestyle….
The Antioch Factor
Ross Paterson presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem…
Developing Leadership for Cross-Cultural Ministry
Mission thrives on cultivating leaders who embody the life and character of Jesus, the most effective figure in history who…
How to Discover your Calling
In this course, we examine the different dimensions of support that are needed for a successful cross-cultural experience or lifestyle….
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
Interview with Elizabeth Trotter
Elizabeth and her husband Jonathan were missionaries to Cambodia. They returned to America during Covid lockdown in a sudden and…
Cultural Pride
In our interview with Christina Winrich, she shared openly about the challenges and joys of serving God in another culture….
Interview with Bev Gigney
Bev Gigney founded a children’s home called Dove’s Wings during her years serving in China, having had a clear…
Interview with Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman was born as a ‘Third Culture Kid’ to missionary parents in Pakistan. But little did she know that…
Interview with Geoff & Jackie Bishop
Geoff and Jackie Bishop were missionaries for many years in Burundi, central Africa. In this interview, they share the events…
Interview with Amy Young
Amy Young spent many years as a cross-cultural worker in China, and now works to support cross-cultural workers through various…
Interview with Jennifer Bishop
Christine sits down for an interview with our own team member Jennifer Bishop. Jennifer grew up in Burundi and…
Interview with Simon Guillebaud
Discover more about Great Lakes Outreach (GLO) and their weekly Zoom prayer meetings, as well as watch Onesphore’s prayer for Europe &…
Resolution Number 3 – Pray For An Unreached People Group
The third of Chuck Lawless’ ten New Year’s Resolutions, all of which relate to cross-cultural mission, says: “I will learn…
Resolution Number 2 – Pray For Missionaries
The second of Chuck Lawless’ ten New Year’s Resolutions, all of which relate to cross-cultural mission, says: “I will pray…
Two Special Friends Who Made a Difference
Larry and Beth. Two ‘Ordinary’ People Who Made A Real Difference.Ross and Christine Paterson Write About Two Special Friends. Larry…
My Tribute, and Debt to, George Verwer
George Verwer died on April 14th, as I write only 8 short days ago. John Piper said that George’s “personal…
George Patterson – Not Your Normal Missionary!
George Patterson (1920-2012) went out as a missionary to Tibet with Geoffrey Bull in 1947. Though they began together, they…
A Missionary Hero With A Traumatised Heart
Wilhelmina “Minnie” Vautrin (1886-1941) was an American missionary in China for 28 years, working as an educator and for a…
The Beauty of Collaboration
I recently received an update from a soon-to-be partner and found that they were starting to offer online options for…
Helen Roseveare Part 2: Price and Privilege
Recently, I wrote about Helen Roseveare, an outstanding missionary to Africa. Her achievements were amazing in terms of hospitals built and…
A Life Offered to God: Helen Roseveare
Helen Roseveare (1925-2016) was a remarkable and unusual missionary to Africa. I will look at her life in this blog…
Seven Lessons From The Life of Lilias Trotter
I previously wrote about Lilias Trotter. This remarkable sister merits a second look, because there are important, even success-defining, lessons for…