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
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…
Cross-cultural marriage
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
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!
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
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…
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….
Transitions and China 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…
A Heart for the Unreached with Dr Mary Ho
Dr Mary Ho serves as the International Executive Leader of All Nations International, a global Christian missions organization. In this current…
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,…
Ignorance is NOT Bliss
We had a fantastic launch event! We are so excited for this next season of FieldPartner, to see more people…
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…
Seven Lessons From Job About Values
Ross shares lessons from the book of Job that help us to walk through the hard and puzzling times in…
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…
Equipping the Church for Explosive Growth!
We are excited to share that FieldPartner co-founder Ross Paterson was recently interviewed on the hit podcast ‘Inspired… with Simon Guillebaud’. Ross…
C.T. Studd – From Sports Star to China Missionary
C.T. Studd once said: “Let us not glide through this world and then slip quietly into heaven, without having blown…
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…
James Adam – Missionary to China’s Miao People
James Adam was a Scottish missionary who arrived in China in 1887 aged 23 and served there for the next…
A Lost Missionary Treasure
I have been a missionary for over 50 years, yet I have only just come across an extraordinary document called…
Article 7 – Part 6 of the Serampore Agreement
Carey’s original important summary of article 7: A real missionary becomes in a sense a father to his people. If…
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…
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…
Griffith John, Pioneer Missionary to China
Griffith John (1831-1912) was a remarkable man. “During his long ministry in China, Griffith John helped lay the foundation for…
What is Truth? – Easter Week Pt 3
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
Eric Liddell: A Scotsman Surrendered To God
Eric Henry Liddell (1902-1945) is best known as one of the heroes of the Oscar-winning film “Chariots of Fire”. The…