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
Whether returning home temporarily or permanently, you need to be prepared for a season of transition – and all the challenges that brings!
Debrief
We strongly recommend a debrief, even informally, as a way of processing your time spent in another cultures.
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
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…
The Antioch Factor
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
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!
The Antioch Factor
Ross Paterson presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem…
Cross-cultural marriage
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….
The importance of learning the local language – Barry and Rowena McNight
Rowena and Barry McKnight have been missionaries for many years in Thailand. In this insightful interview into their years of…
5 Lessons Joseph Teaches About God and His Plans for Our Lives
Ross Paterson’s message, recorded at Bread of Life International Church. He encourages us with five lessons from one of his…
Hannah #1: Four bad and one good path
Ross talks about Hannah in 1 Sam 1.
A Heart for the Unreached with Dr Mary Ho
Dr Mary Ho serves as the International Executive Leader of All Nations International, a global Christian missions organization. In this current…
Get Ready to be Shaken
Ross looks at what the Bible says about the end of the world, and how the Bible tells us to…
Cultural Pride
In our interview with Christina Winrich, she shared openly about the challenges and joys of serving God in another culture….
Joseph #3: Learning in God’s School of Faithfulness
In this third talk on the life of Joseph, Ross looks at Joseph through the lens of three vital principles…
Interview with Ross & Christine Paterson
Enjoy the wisdom and inspiration of over a century combined missions experience, as we sit down with our founders, Ross…
Cross cultural marriage with Samuel Renling
We had the chance to sit down with Samuel and hear a little about his cross-cultural story. Hailing from rural…
Zechariah gets a second chance | Luke 1
Ross shares from in Luke 1 about Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and stresses that our God is…
Clueless by Jacqueline Scott
This post originally appeared on A Life Overseas. It is reproduced here with the permission of the author. When we head…
David Howard Adeney – Flourishing In Spite of Interruptions
In one sense, there is not a great deal to say about Eleanor (Nellie) and Elizabeth (Topsy) Saunders. Their missionary…
Mildred Cable Was Not Alone In China…
Mildred Cable’s remarkable story (see my blog about her) is not complete without mentioning the two sisters with whom she…
Who or What is a Third Culture Kid?
Who or what is a TCK? A while ago, I met with a missionary family from a large Asian country…
He Took His Time, But He Made It! – Easter Week Pt 6
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
Your Choice – The Comparison Game Or A Unique Destiny – Easter Week Pt 12
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
The Short Missionary Service of Nellie and Topsy Saunders.
In one sense, there is not a great deal to say about Eleanor (Nellie) and Elizabeth (Topsy) Saunders. Their missionary…
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…
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…
David Livingstone – Missionary Multi-Tasker
David Livingstone (1813-1873) was born in Blantyre, near Glasgow, Scotland. He became “a physician, a pioneer Christian missionary with the…