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!
The Antioch Factor
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
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
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
Cross-cultural marriage
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….
Cultural Pride
In our interview with Christina Winrich, she shared openly about the challenges and joys of serving God in another culture….
Mission Kid to Pioneer with Brad Thurston
Check out Globe Mission here. See our other partners. A fascinating interview with Brad Thurston, one of the early collaborators…
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.
Blessed or Buried to Bless? | John 12
Ross looks at John 12:20-25 to discuss a secret to God’s blessing flowing through us to others, with two unusual…
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,…
Interview with Christine Paterson
Christine Paterson Interview Co-founder Christine Paterson tells us about her life on the mission field from her childhood in Africa…
Hope in a Warzone 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 &…
Ignorance is NOT Bliss
We had a fantastic launch event! We are so excited for this next season of FieldPartner, to see more people…
Announcing the Field Partner Podcast!
We’re excited to launch the Field Partner Podcast, the latest addition to our resources. Listen here Why have you started…
Joseph #6: Joseph and His Choices
In this 6th talk on the life of Joseph, Ross discusses the relationship between Joseph’s choice to avoid immorality and…
He Is Risen Indeed
Mark 16:1-8 describes the event that changed human history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He is risen…
Henry Venn – Shaping Mission Thinking
Henry Venn (1796-1873) was both an extraordinary Christian leader of his day and a hugely important figure in cross-cultural mission…
Paul’s New Year ‘Resolutions’!
Philippians 4:10-23 contains two wonderful challenges for 2023! 1. Challenge #1 for 2023. Paul had learned the secret of contentment….
Introducing The Antioch Factor
5 talks of The Antioch Factor In these 5 talks Ross shares his life’s message. He shares concerning what the…
A Hidden Gem: Margery Sykes
Margery Sykes was no ordinary missionary. Yet I cannot find her photo on the internet! I am not even sure…
Lessons we can learn from the life of Joseph (Part 7)
Cross-cultural lessons from the life of Joseph: #7: AQ (The Accountability Quotient). Genesis 47:27-31 – Joseph, the second most…
My Tribute, and Debt to, George Verwer
George Verwer died on April 14th, as I write only 8 short days ago. John Piper said that George’s “personal…
John And Betty Stam’s Short Lives.
John Stam (1907-1934) and Betty Stam (1906-1934) were American Christian missionaries to China with the China Inland Mission (CIM). They…
The Struggle – Adoniram Jason – Pt 1
Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) was an American missionary who served in Burma (Myanmar) for almost forty years. When Judson began his…
What Is Donar’s Oak?
Howard Peskett made some mission related comments when writing on Deuteronomy chapter 13 in Scripture Union notes. Howard wrote: “Missionaries…