Sending a Care Team to Distressed Missionaries
September 2024
People might be tempted to elevate missionaries to the status of “super Christians,” but the truth is…missionaries are normal people just like you and me. Their work is often lonely and filled with challenges. They still get into arguments with their spouses, they still experience feelings of discouragement, and they still need to be recharged. As one team of Encompass missionaries in Western Asia was in a season of significant challenge, they reached out to a supporting church asking for help. In response, the church quickly hand-selected a care team and sent them to Western Asia to facilitate a spiritual retreat for their missionaries. Here’s how God used their efforts to leave the global workers feeling restored and renewed. Grace Fellowship in Columbus, Ohio was very intentional about the entire process. Before they even sent the team, they had video calls with the missionaries to find out what they needed. Then they formed the care team by hand-selecting specific church members who were gifted in the needed areas. They also invited Vanessa from a Charis church in Winona Lake, Indiana since she has counseling experience. When the care team arrived in Western Asia, Vanessa observed, “I think there is something special for the missionaries to show their country to visitors. We saw them get this fresh love for the country simply by showing it to us.” The five-day respite took place at a serene retreat center about an hour and a half outside the city, which was exactly what the missionaries needed. Pastor Jake says, “It was a great environment just to feel like they were away from the hustle and bustle of the city.” Throughout the week, the team facilitated a variety of sessions aimed at refreshing the missionaries’ spirits. In the mornings, Jake would lead a Bible study or they would observe a time of solitude, reflection, or prayer. In the afternoons, Vanessa led sessions on the Armor of God, diving deep into what it means to stand firm in faith amid spiritual warfare. Evenings were reserved for family time such as playing games, enjoying the outdoors, or relaxing together. The missionaries truly benefited from the team’s visit. Jake says, “By the end of the week, you could see that they had a good amount of energy to step back into their ministry. I feel like they were definitely refreshed and encouraged.” And not only was it beneficial for the missionaries, but the care team was blessed by being a blessing.“It was really a ton of fun for our team to go, link arms with them, and lift them up as they’re doing some really special work,” Jake says. “We felt really privileged to be a small part of encouraging them and bearing some of their burdens.” After returning home, Vanessa was surprised to find out that this kind of hands-on missionary care was so novel. She says “It's not an option—as the global church, we have to do a better job of providing this kind of support to the people we send out to other countries and cultures.” Consider how God might be calling your church to support your missionaries beyond financial gifts and prayer. If you send missionaries into the front lines of ministry, how much of an impact would it make to them if your church also sent a team to care for them? Reinvigorating the hearts of your missionaries could be a relatively small investment with eternal returns!
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