Casual Friday Missionary Care Resources
Never a dull moment around these parts! On Tuesday we had a series of severe storms crash through our neck of the woods. Besides flooding and downed trees all over the place, we lost our phone/internet connection. Fortunately we have a public library with great WI-FI service. Makes me think, though, of all those in remote areas that have no access, or slow access at best, to that which most of us take for granted. (When we lived in a tribal village in Thailand we had 9000 baud dial up access via a long distance phone call!) Anyway, take advantage of your access to snag some of these missionary care resources.
EVENTS
Novella Retreat
Hosted by Servant Care International in beautiful Millstatt, Austria, September 21-25. Who do you know that works in that part of the world? Let them know about this.
MK ReEntry Seminar 2017
Hosted at Biola University in LaMirada, California, USA, July 16-28. Re-entry events like this are highly recommended for older teens returning to the States.
CareGivers Forum
An excellent opportunity to meet and interact with people like yourself—missionary care providers. To be held at Ridgecrest Conference Center near Ashville, North Carolina, October 29 – November 1.
Interlude
“A debriefing retreat for global workers. A time to process your story.” Provided by Barnabas International. June 13-16 in Carmel, IN, USA and July 31-Aug 3 in Littleton, CO, USA.
Thrive Conferences
Held at various places around the world for U.S. and Canadian women who live and work cross-culturally. Check out the upcoming event to be held in Colorado July 18-21. Not only can you pass this information on to missionary women you know who will be in the U.S. this summer, you can volunteer to help at the retreat or help sponsor someone who is going.
Becoming One: Skills for a Lifetime of Love
Hosts Geoff and Kriss Whiteman teach skills that will help couples connect deeply. Missionary couples benefit greatly from periodic marriage enrichment. Contact the Whitemans to see how you could facilitate that for some couple you love.
LIFE ON THE FIELD
Stress just goes with the territory for your friends on the mission field. Bill Tell talks about ways to cope with it.
A good portion of that stress can come from interpersonal conflict. In fact, that is still listed as the number one reason missionaries leave the field. This video from Member Care Media talks about reconciliation.
Most global workers are expected to communicate regularly with their partners. Often that comes in the form of a prayer letter. Amy Young has some great tips for making that job less stressful.
Here at Paracletos we often talk about the need to live in the “unforced rhythms of grace” in order to stay spiritually and emotionally healthy on the field. Tabitha Kent’s article will help you know what that looks like.
There comes a time for most missionaries when they seriously question the choices they made that landed them on the field. Jerry Jones addresses that along with the competition that can cloud a missionary’s sense of calling.
SAD—seasonal affective disorder. It’s not just for people in Seattle! Everyone is biologically affected by their climate, as this article shows. How well do you know how it affects your friends on the field?
Trauma is something else that many missionaries will endure. In this podcast, Jeff Jackson defines PTSD and discusses it as it relates to the care missionaries currently serving in a foreign field and returning and reintegrating back into a life in the States.
Believe it or not, sleep is one of the most important factors of your missionary’s well-being on the field—and not just physically. This article from Time Health explains.
TRANSITION
The folks over at Encompass Life Coaching talk about the five major benefits of healthy goodbyes. Your friends facing transition may appreciate this.
For most missionaries transition involves air travel. Here are some great tips for those who are travelling with babies.
EQUIP YOURSELF
Want to know why it’s so important for a missionary to be adequately trained before launching into ministry? Watch this short video.
Ever feel like your missions committee is stuck? Here’s a free PDF you may find helpful
Here’s another tool to help you evaluate the status of your missions program. It includes some questions related to your care of those you’ve sent out.
Elevating the work of the Lord above the Lord of the work is all too common among global workers. Scott Shaum warns of that danger. You will want to be aware of this.
More and more global workers will experience some form of trauma during their career. Are you prepared to walk with them through those events and the recovery to follow? Here is a good place to start preparing yourself to do that well.
You may want to familiarize yourself with resources like trauma response teams. Start with this site.
I just devoted an entire newsletter to this topic with lots of resources. Contact me if you’d like a free copy.
Planning to go visit your friends on the field? (You are, right?) Here is some good advice for coping with long airplane rides.
What is the greatest hurdle that most missionaries face? You may be surprised by Darren Carlson’s answer. How do you think you could help?
FOR YOUR LIBRARY
Here’s a useful guide for those who are just beginning to figure out their calling and how to live it out. You might want to read it as a way of preparing yourself for giving wise counsel.
That’s it for this week. Thanks for stopping by…and thanks for caring for the missionaries God has brought into your life.
What I’m reading this week:
- You Are What You Love, by James Smith
- Life of the Beloved, by Henri Nouwen
- Running on Empty, by Fil Anderson
- Winston S. Churchill: Youth, 1874-1900, by Randolph S. Churchill
Just finished reading:
- Rejoicing in Jesus, by Michael Reeves
- Accelerate, by John Kotter
- Seven Days That Divide the World, by John Lennox
- Delighting in the Trinity, by Michael Reeves
- Called to be Saints, by Gordon Smith
Up next:
- The Golden Sayings of Epictetus