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
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!
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
The Antioch Factor
Ross Paterson presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem…
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
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 Missionary Time Forgot?
In our interview with our former co-worker in China, Bev Gigney, she shared a poignant story about losing a close friend…
Keys For Today From Exodus 1
Ross shares from Exodus 1, originally in 2010, but relevant to us as we face our todays in faith and…
Are you a grumpy, happy or both?
Ross looks at two different kinds of believers – happies and grumpies – or are you both? Listen and analyse…
Don’t forget your fieldworker with Bev Gigney
Bev Gigney founded a children’s home called Dove’s Wings during her years serving in China, having had a clear…
Self-care for God’s Servants
FieldPartner was proud to host ‘Self-care for God’s Servants’, an excellent presentation from Tony Horsfall. ‘Self-care for God’s Servants’ asked the…
Equipping the Church for Explosive Growth!
We are excited to share that FieldPartner co-founder Ross Paterson was recently interviewed on the hit podcast ‘Inspired… with Simon Guillebaud’. Ross…
JO Fraser’s Challenge to us today
Listen to these lessons from the life of one of Ross’ missionary heroes, JO Fraser. An excerpt from Ross’ blog…
Seven Lessons From Job About Values
Ross shares lessons from the book of Job that help us to walk through the hard and puzzling times in…
Obedience & Family on the Field with Grant & Jean
Grant and Jean are missionaries from South Africa. In this interview, they share their journey leading to mission work in…
Radical Prayer with Katie Chen
Scroll down for podcast options! < After being baptised at only 5 years old, Katie felt a clear calling…
Issues to ponder when preparing to send someone out to front-line missions
Imagine… You are a new missionary recruit about to depart for your assignment abroad. You are theologically trained, you have…
J. O. Fraser – ‘Ask In Faith.
Below is the account in J.O. Fraser’s life of a very special experience in prayer that I refer to…
A Short But Most Effective Life – David Brainerd
David Brainerd was born on April 20, 1718 in Haddam, Connecticut. He died a short 29 years later. For only…
Bernie May – Christmas In The Amazon Jungle.
It was only a few days before Christmas. Bernie May, a pilot for Wycliffe Bible Translators, had successfully delivered emergency…
J. O. Fraser – Family Matters
James Fraser prayed the prayer of faith for the Lisu, asking for a breakthrough amongst the Lisu people (see…
Hannah
Hannah – Part 1 Hi. This is Ross Paterson, one of the leaders of FieldPartner. In this session, I want…
We Need Mrs K, Mrs W and Mrs J Today
Last week, in talking about J O Fraser, my final comment was as follows: “Fraser highly valued the prayer support of…
John Mark – A Missionary Failure Who Later Succeeded.
John Mark is a missionary whose story, unlike most of those I write about each Sunday, is told in the…
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…
Eric Liddell: A Scotsman Surrendered To God
Eric Henry Liddell (1902-1945) is best known as one of the heroes of the Oscar-winning film “Chariots of Fire”. The…