Culture shock, conflict, family struggles, burnout…
The list of challenges goes on.
Maybe you feel underprepared and unsure how to continue? Maybe you’re just worn out and need some fresh encouragement or support, or seeking answers on a specific issue?
You’ve come to the right place.
Orientation
Moving to another culture is a massive change, so the orientation season is all about arranging practicalities, adjusting and settling in.
Adjustment
Culture shock is real – and it’s tricky. Prepare yourself for the messy reality of it.
Settled
Connection
Returning
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!
- What your fieldworker needs from you now is continued encouragement and moral support.
- Often they will experience a honeymoon period of adjustment, which quickly passes as they realise the enormity of the challenge ahead.
- Continue the connection, reminding them how much everybody is celebrating but also missing them. Send encouraging words.
- It would be excellent if key members of the sending church undertook some basic cross-cultural training so that they can understand what the field worker is experiencing.
- They will then be equipped to recognise symptoms of culture shock and be able to encourage your mission partner with the words: ‘this is normal!’
- Ensure they know they have permission to be honest about their struggles.
- What a blessing when you start to see your mission partner finding their place in the new culture and functioning more effectively in the language.
- It has been such a LONG process for them to get to this point, so be sure and celebrate this as a ‘win’.
- Even now the ground may be hard and ‘results’ may take a long while to see. It is the Lord who will produce fruit in His time, so encourage the field worker to remain firm in Him and to persevere.
- Beware of bathtub syndrome – where interest in the missionary from those at home is only high at the beginning or end of their journey.
- Though they may be ‘out of sight’ keep them in mind! Stay in regular contact.
- The church must be proactive in coming alongside their mission partners, even at a distance
- Whenever a mission partner returns home, make plans to give them a resounding welcome! Be eager to hear reports from them.
- Allow them a buffer after the initial welcome to have some decompression time.
- Arrange a good debrief with a trained person, even if they don’t think they need one! This is a key to healthy processing of their experiences on the field.
- See our post-field resources for more details on what is next.
Get Equipped
The Antioch Factor
Ross Paterson presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem…
Building a Support Ecosystem
In this course, we examine the different dimensions of support that are needed for a successful cross-cultural experience or lifestyle….
Caring for Third Culture Kids
Currently in development, this exciting new course is created by our Dean of Studies, Ben Gilbert. British by birth, raised in India, with time living in Sri Lanka and the Middle East – the TCK experience is familiar to Ben, who is excited to share personal experiences, research and helpful insights for both TCKs, and those caring for them to thrive across cultures. Sign up to be notified when the course is released!
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…
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
The Antioch Factor
Growing in Cultural Intelligence
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
Hope in a Warzone with Simon Guillebaud
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Joseph #5: Joseph and the Goodness of God
Ross shares in this 5th episode, Ross talks about how Joseph laid hold of the promises of God and saw…
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Working from a Place of Rest
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Joseph #6: Joseph and His Choices
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Joseph #4: The Lies of Joseph’s Brothers
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Ignorance is NOT Bliss
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Finding Treasure in all the Bible – 2 Kings 15
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The Syro Phoenician woman
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Love, Loss and Laughter in Asia
We’ve been longing to share the story of the amazing Rod and Ruthie Gilbert with you. From meeting whilst Rod…
Sharing from Ross: Thought for the day
Thought for the day: How important is the Bible to me? Acts 11:26 says: “So for a whole year Barnabas…
The 3-minute Rule (and How Not To Be Offended!)
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Article 4 of the Serampore Agreement
The original version: Fourthly. It becomes us to watch all opportunities of doing good. A missionary would be highly culpable…
Announcing New Course: Crossing Cultures 101
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Frank Laubach – A Look Beneath The Surface
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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…
Each Meeting Was An Awesome Encounter With God: Pearl Young
When I searched for Pearl Young on the internet, I found that there is very little information about her. That…
J.O Fraser – It Is All ‘If’ And ‘When’…
The comments are taken from ‘Mountain Rain’, Fraser’s biography written by his daughter Eileen Fraser Crossman.Luke 16:10-13:“He who is faithful…
St Patrick – The Early Missionary
Today, March 17th, is St Patrick’s Day. Patrick was an early missionary with a very unusual life, one that has…
Damascus Road Or Gradual Conviction?
In my previous post, I defined cross-cultural mission. It contains two vital elements. Firstly, going. Secondly, the venue, a people whose…