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
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
Growing in Cultural Intelligence
Cross-cultural marriage
The Antioch Factor
Thriving Across Borders
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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…
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….
Interview with Ross Paterson
We hear from co-founder Ross Paterson sharing his experiences from over 50 years in the mission field. It’s…
What do you want Jesus to do for you? | Mark 10:46-52
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Where the Holy Spirit is Free to Work
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Go and do likewise…
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The Syro Phoenician woman
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Explore & EnVision & Intercultural Coaching
All Nations Christian College is a world-renowned mission training college. They are currently offering two courses which we would highly…
An ‘Ordinary’ Person, Who Made a Big Difference
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A Lost Missionary Treasure
I have been a missionary for over 50 years, yet I have only just come across an extraordinary document called…
Announcing New Course: Crossing Cultures 101
We have just launched our most recent course Crossing Cultures 101! It’s free to complete and consists of 3 online modules…
What Cross-Cultural Mission Is & What It Isn’t!
We desperately need a Biblical definition of cross-cultural mission today. “James Hudson Taylor (Chinese: 戴德生) was a British Protestant Christian…
Resolution Number 1
Last Sunday I listed Chuck Lawless’ suggestions for 10 New Year’s resolutions that relate to cross-cultural mission. Lawless wrote: “I’d like…
Clueless by Jacqueline Scott
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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…
Two Special Friends Who Made a Difference
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J. O. Fraser – James Fraser’s reaction to the strong setback
Here we take a look at James Fraser’s reaction to the strong setback, which I described in the previous article. …