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….
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
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!
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
Quiet time 3: Elements of a Quiet Time
his is the final post in a 3-part series: Quiet Time 1: Importance of Quiet Time with God Quiet Time…
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…
Mobilising Senders with Lori Rogers
Our latest interview is with Lori Rogers, who leads MomentumYes, an exciting mission mobilisation organisation. Their free, 6-part video course…
Deported from China with Greg and Lisa
For security reasons, we can’t show you Greg and Lisa’s faces. But they have a story that is well-worth hearing….
Global humility – church planting and serving in Istanbul with Andy McCullough
Having grown up in Cyprus, being married to Jessica – who is South African – and with four children who…
Interview with Ross Paterson
We hear from co-founder Ross Paterson sharing his experiences from over 50 years in the mission field. It’s…
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…
Hebrews 11: Are we walking in faith?
Ross looks at 4 keys to faith taken from the heroes of the faith described in Hebrews 11.
Interview with Jennifer Bishop
Christine sits down for an interview with our own team member Jennifer Bishop. Jennifer grew up in Burundi and…
Equipping the sending church with Michael Prest
Michael Prest is the director of our partner, UFM Worldwide. In this thought-provoking interview, he shares his personal story and how…
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…
Article 7 – Part 2 of the Serampore Agreement
What happens after they believe in Jesus? Here we see the extraordinary level of care that Carey and his colleagues…
J.O Fraser – What Exactly Has A Missionary Come To Say?
He Is Risen. Hallelujah!“Death cannot keep his prey,Jesus, my Saviour;He tore the bars away,Jesus, my Lord”(Robert Lowry, 1826-99, “Low In…
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 #10 – Me, A Missionary?
Finally, almost a quarter of the way through 2024, we come to the 10th and last cross-cultural mission related New…
Frank Laubach- A Man Turned To Prayer In His Time Of Trouble.
Frank Charles Laubach (1884-1970) was born in Benton, Pennsylvania. He was a missionary who worked for thirty years among Muslims…
J. O. Fraser – Investing In The Locals
This week we are looking at William Carey’s simple Master Plan: “Send forth as many native preachers…
Isobel Kuhn – A Extraordinary Missionary
Isobel Kuhn (1901-1957) was a Canadian Christian missionary to the Lisu people of Yunnan Province, China, and northern Thailand. She…
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…
J. O. Fraser – Something That Fraser Never Had – A PACTeam
It is vital that cross-cultural mission moves with the times and takes advantage of modern technology. When I went as…