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
Cross-cultural marriage
The Antioch Factor
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!
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…
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….
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
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…
7 Ways to Drop Your Call
Ross examines the vital question of ‘what do we do once we have a calling?’ The enemy will be determined…
Get Ready to be Shaken
Ross looks at what the Bible says about the end of the world, and how the Bible tells us to…
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…
Serving in Japan with Christina Winrich
In this interview Christina shares openly about the challenges and joys of serving God in another culture. She shares movingly…
Overcoming Challenges with Alan and Jan Kilpatrick
Alan and Jan Kilpatrick have lived a wide-ranging and varied life in ministry and mission, most recently serving in Mozambique….
Where Should We Go Next? | Acts 2
Ross shares how the early church responded to the gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.
The Privilege of Being a Sending Church
Guest Blog by Michael Prest from UFM. I wonder what springs to mind when we think of sending and supporting mission…
Sermon | Hannah: Ordinary People Making a Difference
Ross Paterson’s sermon on the example of Hannah. If you’d like a more in-depth look into the example of Hannah,…
Joseph #5: Joseph and the Goodness of God
Ross shares in this 5th episode, Ross talks about how Joseph laid hold of the promises of God and saw…
Fruit From a Dark Valley – Adoniram Judson – Pt 4
Read the first three blogs on Adoniram Judson: Part 1 – The Struggle Part 2 – A Marriage Made in Heaven?…
J.O. Fraser – “I Want To Be Filled With The Spirit.”
It is Pentecost Sunday! Selwyn Hughes has a word for us, and so does J. O. Fraser! “The two main…
The Accidental Missionaries
Aquila and Priscilla did not plan to be missionaries. They didn’t get there by the usual route – a call…
J.O Fraser – The Respect Factor
In this week’s sharing, which you can find on our Facebook page, I pointed to three areas where J.O. Fraser,…
Rufus Anderson – Radical Missionary Thinker
It would be profitable in some ways for every prospective missionary to be shut in a room with Rufus Anderson…
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…
Two Tongues, One Heart: Navigating Language in Cross-Cultural Love
Language is the heartbeat of any relationship—but for cross-cultural couples, it’s often a puzzle with extra pieces. Our recent survey…
Who Is In Charge Here? – Easter Week Pt 1
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
Four Lessons From the Life Of Adoniram Judson – Pt 3
Read Part 1 – The Struggle Read Part 2 – A Marriage Made in Heaven? Three weeks ago I looked at…
Chinese Missionaries to Europe?
ChinaSource recently commented that “despite Europe’s historical legacy as an active sender of missionaries, Europe nowadays should be considered as…