July – Week 3

12 Baskets Full

A Missionary Basket

Missionaries returning home after living and ministering overseas for a season or two or three, often struggle to re-integrate. This lingering disorientation is sometimes also experienced by missionaries on sabbatical after seven-plus years abroad. How can one feel like a stranger in your own culture and that after such longing for familiar faces and favourite places? 

Soon feeling at home in their adopted culture, God blesses His servants with a growing ministry, local friends, and a loving church community. Thus, going back home means having to uproot yourself and your family, making it easy for confusion to set in.

Yet, there is no need to suffer needlessly. Peter Jordan, in his excellent book, Re-entry, compares the return of missionaries from abroad to a space rocket returning into the earth’s atmosphere – describing a bumpy, turbulent and dangerous time in which a rocket can easily disintegrate. Missionaries can experience something similar, whether that is on an emotional, relational, physical, or spiritual level. Remember, we are talking about several changes that may or may not include the following: a change of language, a change of school for the children, a seasonal change, a change of diet, a change of friends, a change of position, months of traveling to supporting churches, having to share a home with another family, possible criticism, or being misunderstood. 

Let’s get Practical

Yet, much of this can be prevented – as Peter Jordan points out throughout his book. Thus, I am excited to share a few simple ways in which the body of Christ can come alongside our missionary family or single missionary during this transition period. 

Pray – Pray – Pray: At All Times and In All Seasons

Nothing settles my soul as much as the knowledge that part of my team is a seasoned and faithful prayer warrior or two or three! Trustworthy individuals, I can share the details with – whose faith is strong and whose prayers are bold. Someone who faithfully will call my name before God’s throne in every season. Make sure to alert your team of prayers well in advance to pray with you and your family as you start your preparations. Share with them your fears, your excitement, your wish-list! Listen to their warnings and hear their hearts as they share any promptings from God with you.     

Money: The Worker Deserves his Wages

Yes, I am going to be this blunt! Blessing your missionary with extra money will be a great encouragement, for often the expenses pile up as they may have to keep two households going: paying rent, electricity, etc. Then there is their vehicle that may need new tyres, a service, or a new windshield because of rough terrain in the area where they serve. 

Sometimes they go home because they expect a baby. With or without complications, hospitals can be expensive, and their bundle of joy will need clothes, nappies, and the like.  Sometimes they have to settle a child into college or university and extra expenses can quickly pile up. Sometimes they go without all kinds of extras we take for granted. Other times it can add to the money they have been saving to buy a much-needed item that will make life back home a little easier. 

Time: Redeem the Time

The one thing most missionaries lament about is that they often feel unheard. People are not really interested in their day-to-day life in another country – it is either too far removed from their own lives, they feel guilty that they are not more involved, or they simply don’t realize how important it is to listen. Let them share in church, give feedback at various home cell groups, lead a men’s breakfast or join a lady’s prayer gathering. Showing their pictures, and sharing their breakthroughs, challenges, and prayer requests is a wonderful way to build the body of Christ. In any case, what a privilege to get Kingdom news from His children on the ground – obedient and faithful to their calling.

The Family: When One Part of the Body Suffers, the Whole Body Suffers

Without my computer, I will literally have no ministry. It is much the same for many other full-time workers in the field. An upgrade, a new hard drive or computer, an SD card, a memory stick, or new Bible software can all add great value to their ministry. 

Bless their kids with a cool trip to a museum, sticker books, or some spending money. They may not have many friends back home, so having them join yours or inviting them to join a local football club, will mean the world. 

Spoil Mum with a back massage, facial, manicure or pedicure, a shopping trip, or just take her out for tea at a beautiful coffee shop – it will all help her integrate and experience some level of ‘normality.’

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As much of a missionary family’s time is spent giving feedback to various churches, they can travel long distances, meet many people and keep up homeschooling–all while staying in touch with the ministry back home. Offering your cabin in the woods or holiday house at the beach for a week or weekend will give them a much-needed opportunity to make memories, re-charge their batteries, and re-connect with God.