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
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…
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
The Antioch Factor
Ross Paterson presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem…
Four questions from Jonah 4
Ross talks of Jonah’s battle with the Lord in Jonah 4 and how that relates to us today.
The Faithfulness of God and Our Response | 2 Tim 2:11-13
Ross shares from 2 Tim 2:11-13 on the faithfulness of God and how totally dependable that is for every area…
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…
Equipping Servants with David & Vicki Frazier
After a season of cross-cultural preparation and discernment, David and Vicki worked as missionaries for 20 years in Turkey before…
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…
Ordinary People: 7 Keys From Amos Chapter 7
Ross gives some specific examples from China colleagues and then shares 7 key lessons from the life of Amos to…
Transition and Change, Grief and Loss
At some point in our lives, we all face different types of changes that can lead to feelings of loss…
Addressing the Gaps with Henry & Betsy
Henry and Betsy are key partners with us in FieldPartner. In this interview they share their experiences of coming to…
Protected: Interview with James Goss
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Hannah #1: Four bad and one good path
Ross talks about Hannah in 1 Sam 1.
Vision of FieldPartner International
The vision of FieldPartner International is a simple one. It is to serve the church and individual believers in matters…
The Unlikely Impact of William Carey
“Young man, sit down! When God pleases to convert those who have never heard of Jesus Christ, He’ll do it…
Timothy And “The P/T Test”
Having written about Demas, John Mark and Silas over the past three weeks, there has to be one more missionary…
Seekers And Finders – Easter Week Pt 8
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
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…
Amy Carmichael – Struggling Start but Amazing Finish
The life and missionary work of Amy Carmichael (1867–1951) speaks to our generation with a simple message. She tells us…
James Gilmour Made An Eternal Difference!
Last week, in the light of the few folk that James Gilmour saw come to Christ, I asked a question:…
Article 7 – Part 5 of the Serampore Agreement
In conversing with the wives of native converts, and leading them on in the ways of Christ, so that they…
An Unusual Scottish Missionary: William Burns
William Chalmers Burns (宾惠廉) lived from 1815-1868. A fellow missionary said after his death that “all China knows him; he…
Seven Lessons From The Life of Lilias Trotter
I previously wrote about Lilias Trotter. This remarkable sister merits a second look, because there are important, even success-defining, lessons for…