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
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
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…
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
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….
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…
Cultural Pride
In our interview with Christina Winrich, she shared openly about the challenges and joys of serving God in another culture….
Interview with Bev Gigney
Bev Gigney founded a children’s home called Dove’s Wings during her years serving in China, having had a clear…
Interview with Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman was born as a ‘Third Culture Kid’ to missionary parents in Pakistan. But little did she know that…
Interview with Geoff & Jackie Bishop
Geoff and Jackie Bishop were missionaries for many years in Burundi, central Africa. In this interview, they share the events…
Interview with Amy Young
Amy Young spent many years as a cross-cultural worker in China, and now works to support cross-cultural workers through various…
Watch the Recording of Resilience
Click here to watch the recording! We were delighted to host Rod and Ruthie for their presentation on resilience on…
Interview with Jennifer Bishop
Christine sits down for an interview with our own team member Jennifer Bishop. Jennifer grew up in Burundi and…
Interview with Simon Guillebaud
Discover more about Great Lakes Outreach (GLO) and their weekly Zoom prayer meetings, as well as watch Onesphore’s prayer for Europe &…
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:…
James Gilmour. A Wasted Life?
There is one more issue arising from the courageous and dedicated life of the missionary James Gilmour (1843-1891), whom I…
Missionaries And Loneliness
“When James Gilmour sailed for China in 1870 aged twenty-seven, “it was a lonely task that awaited him – the…
James Gilmour’s Unusual Courtship
I wrote last week about James Gilmour and his work in Mongolia. This week is about his courtship (or lack…
James Gilmour – God Hadn’t Called Him To Stay Home.
Having written recently about the lives of some of the New Testament colleagues of the apostle Paul, it’s easy to…
Philip – The Model Missionary
Having looked recently at cross-cultural missionaries from the pages of the New Testament, it struck me that I couldn’t do…
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…
Silas – The Pentecost Man
Today is Pentecost Sunday in some traditions. Jesus’ last recorded words on earth in Acts 1:8 give a clear definition…
John Mark – The Patron Saint Of Second Chance Missionaries
Last week we looked at Demas, the classic missionary failure. But for every Demas there is a John Mark with…
Missionaries Do Sometimes Fail
Sometimes missionaries don’t make it to the end. The New Testament has a powerful example of that – Demas. Demas…