Two By 2

WHEN YOU RETURN HOME

Following are some tips on how to handle returning from a short term mission.


1.    Be Thankful.
Thank God for all He has provided and done for and through you.  Thank Him for all those people who supported and encouraged you and thank them as well.  

2.    Be Forgiving.
Work towards forgiving those people who let you down or hurt you – either at home or overseas.  

3.    Beware of reverse culture shock.  This is the sense that your original culture is now strange, alien, and/or greedy, materialistic, uncaring, etc.

4.    Process.
Give yourself time to process all you have taken in.  Use space on your own to work through your emotions.  Talk to a mature Christian about any difficulties.  Be patient with yourself and others.  Consider helpful ways to process…write down your experiences, seek opportunities to share with others, enjoy your photos and prepare them in a way that would be helpful to show others.  

5.    Communicate.
Share your heart with somebody close.  Share with others who understand the difficulties and joys of mission.  Get together for debriefing sessions with others who went on your mission.
Be prayerful about how to share (ask God to open up doors).
Have the spirit of humility (share in a spirit of thankfulness).
Try to communicate over a period of time - steady communication; don't think you have to share everything as soon as you get back.  Don't be too negative about the culture (it is not wrong, just different).  Encourage questions, talk about the tough times.

6.    Pray – for the country, people and missionaries you have left, for the mission agency who sent you, for your own adjustment back into life in your culture and for the right response to all that has happened.  Also, ask the Lord to use you as his instrument to be able to communicate so other people may become interested in mission.  

7.    What next?  Look to God to find out what He would have you do from here.
There are many benefits of traveling and working in pairs. How does two by 2 help you?