Coming up on a month of “lock-down” for many of us. How are you holding up? Don’t forget that many on the mission field have been restricted as well, or have had plans radically altered. Most of our resources this week are focused on sender care (and there is SO MUCH out there!). Take a look at these, and share the best of what you find with others you know who will utilize them.

Shepherd Care

(How the Great Shepherd cares for his own)

“For thousands of years, believers have used lection divina as a way to meditate on God’s word and draw closer to Him.” So say the folks at TEAM, and they want to help you learn this helpful spiritual discipline. That’s why they are offering this free instructional video.

Self Care

(Good spiritual hygiene for global workers)

What do I do with all this “stuff” I feel inside? That’s the question Scott Shaum asks in this post. We may or may not have much of an idea about what God is up to in our world these days, but it is our responsibility to know what he is up to in us. Scott’s encouragement is to lean into our pain, our confusion, our grief, and to listen for God’s voice in this midst of it all.

Some stayed, some did not; all have the potential for regret. Missionary Anna Glenn offers some helpful words for both groups. Your missionary friends may appreciate reading this.

Sender Care

(Resources to help sending churches care for their sent ones)

If you are a missions leader at a local church with questions to ask and ideas to share about how to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may want to take advantage of this opportunity. Missio Nexus and sixteen:fifteen are sponsoring a virtual gathering on Tuesday, April 14. Get more info and register here.

How do you help missionary families when leaving the field well was not possible? How do you help the process sudden grief and loss? TCK Training is offering three free videos on the subject.

Many missionaries are experiencing various forms of trauma right now. Many more are likely to before this pandemic goes away. The editors of the Trauma and Resilience handbook have made three chapters of their book available as free PDFs to help you better understand how to care for them. The same folks have posted a list of resources related to resilience. You can find them here.

Here is a great resource for any time, not just during a global crisis. The Mobile Member Care Tool Box is a wealth of valuable information on everything from practicing Sabbath to responding to a hostage situation. You will want to bookmark this site!

The “stay home, stay safe” idea may be difficult (if not impossible) for TCKs to abide. And “shelter-in-place” rules may actually accelerate certain unhealthy dynamics. The folks at Interaction International explain why in this thought-provoking article. How can you and your church effectively reach out to those at risk?

Ensuring that global workers are adequately funded is an important part of missionary care. Our  commitment to financial support may be challenged in these times by a down-turn in our own income. Nevertheless, those on the field still count on us. In this post from Shepherd’s Staff, Jeff Jackson encourages us to trust God together.

While this information was compiled for sending organizations about how to care for their staff, most of it applies to caring for the sent ones from your church. Tons of useful ideas here.

Book Recommendations

(Useful titles to have on your m’care bookshelf)

Since I mentioned it above, you should have the link to get your own copy of Trauma & Resilience: A Handbook. Here is their web site, with three options for purchase.

OK, that’s it for this week. Trying to keep up with all the helpful content these days is a major job! Look these over, use what you can, share it all. Until next week…wash your hands.