Set a New Direction

These include churches, training institutions, NGO's, etc. However, gaps exist in the continuity, quality and philosophy of support and care to returning missionaries and cross-cultural workers.

Returning missionaries can often be seen as forever struggling, not moving forward, not getting over the past. Churches can feel betrayed when after years of investment, they 'lose' key workers during this time (or later). Sometimes, returning missionaries are just not able to minister at this time.

A period of specific career guidance for returning missionaries would make their reentry better.

Sending agencies (whether church or mission organization) can continue to partner together and provide Member Care during the challenging transitional period when a missionary returns home. Member Care, or "Sender Care" should include a commitment to returning workers to get needed career transition help. This would be a positive conclusion to previous years of investment and financial support. It’s also an affirming message to remaining workers as well as others across the wider mission and church community when they see how these missionaries are treated - regardless of their reasons for coming home.

Yes, this is a different philosophy than in the business world. But even there, corporate social responsibility (CSR) continues to see growing budget allocation, specifically with Employee Assistance Programs, and also in general wellness initiatives at the family and community level. Why? "Nine out of 10 candidates [still] remain in the same community after they have been separated" from the typical work organization. (Manpower / Right Management Report from 2007).

What about the Sending Agencies? Too often, we have a sharp in / sharp out mentality when missionaries resign. The spirit of 1 Corinthians 12 and other passages on the Body are very progressive (out of this world actually) and would point the way for believers to support, develop and grow long term relational ties, even though they might be organizationally looser than before. We of all people need to emphasize the fact that the central aspect of our community is that we are organically connected and transcend boundaries in general.

Virtual integration of mission services, partnering and cooperation, has been growing over the past couple decades. More sending agencies are seeing that “[c]aring for missionary families is a continuous dynamic process which includes a thorough understanding of recruitment, selection, training, on-the-field productivity, reentry, and possible preparation for retirement” (Moore, Jones, and Austin (Predictors of reverse culture shock among North American Church of Christ missionaries. Journal of Psychology & Theology, 1987)

Reentry helps, references, counselors, medical and general support do exist and returning missionaries are pointed to them. However, these contacts and knowledge are too often not collected or aggregated into a more useful, accessible forms.

Missionary transitioning is something that needs to be well planned in advance with numerous pieces outsourced to specialists. Sending agencies and field leadership all have an important role to play. David Pollock has described the re-entry stages of leaving, transition, entering, and reengagement and said that it takes a minimum of a year. Other reports indicate many years. This is not just a simple change of address!

The vast majority of missionaries who resign and reenter their home country receive next to no preparation or guidance before - or after their return. Often they are seen as quitters. This is harsh. We need a bigger picture and more understanding. Proper preparation would include being prepped by field leadership who would oversee the best departure possible with positive endings when missionaries do leave the field.

Gaps exist on the receiving side as well. We need to take debriefing much more seriously. We need to take endings more seriously. Returning missionaries need to be truly heard. This takes time and effort.

Sending Agencies could help the reentry process by lining up or highlighting the services of Set a New Direction as one of the outsourced specialists that will be needed. There needs to be career outplacement support - regardless of why a missionary returned home. Why shoot the wounded?

Set a New Direction works with returning missionaries, slows them down, then guides them up to speed for finding new and meaningful opportunities back home. My program is not just for those freshly arriving home. Many former missionaries have indicated to me that it would even be beneficial to those who’ve been back for any length of time.

For the full program details and cost, see my 4 Phase Program

Email me about scheduling a free 1 hour consultation.