Re-Entry (Warning - this a long BLOG! make a cuppa tea first and make yourself comfortable!)

I remember, a few years ago, watching with horror as the NASA Space Shuttle disintegrated over America leaving all the crew members dead and causing widespread grief throughout the world. Was it a bomb? Was it shot at by terrorists? What caused this terrible disaster. Well, after an intensive investigation they found that the problem was a small heat-resistant tile that had broken off during take off. These tiles were so important ... without them the shuttle would disintegrate on re-entry.

Six months after the accident, Discovery channel did a documentary on the tragedy. A simple tile. I could not believe it. Re-entering the earth's atmosphere is not by chance ... it is an exact art. The shuttle has to come into the atmosphere at exactly the right speed at exactly the right angle and exactly the right place. I was amazed to find out that the shuttle was not like an airplane upon descent ... but is a glider! Amazing. (Boy, you're learning a lot today!) The greatest risk to the astronauts' lives is not the space walks or when they are near the moon .. it is coming home.

Re-entry is also used in Missiological circles. It is when the missionary or overseas worker comes back into their own culture. Believe it or not, this is also our most difficult time. Is our most difficult moments when we are out in the Philippines planting churches, running an excellent school, giving 24/7 care to children in the Children's Home, mentoring young Bible College Students, developing the Fire Centre, crying every month for the Lord to supply all the finances for 40 staff members ..... No. Our most difficult moments are right now. On re-entry.

I remember being a young UK Pastor and thinking, "These missionaries are always saying it's tough coming home on itinerary. Who do they think they are? They are doing the same as us, except it is much harder here. Let them come back to UK to plant a church. Then they would know how hard it was here." Now I don't think like that as I have been in both pairs of shoes and I know what it is to be in hard situations here, but I know how hard it is to be in hard situations away from you family, friends, culture and comfort zones.

So right now, things are tough. I'm not complaining or even moaning. It's just the way it is. Things seem so confused right now about our future - we DESPERATELY need personnel to help us. We just cannot run all these ministries alone. For example, in the Philippines the parents of our KMGLC students are crying out for us to continue their kids' amazing educational and spiritual progress. We feel a real burden to start and have been given the go ahead from AoG World Ministries. But we have no Teacher. And we have been crying out to the Lord for 2 years saying, "Lord, have you called anyone yet? Maybe you have called and they have not answered.?" Practically, we cannot stay for more than 1.5 years if we have no school as Lydia leaves our pre-school and there are no schools is Santiago to cater for her. We want to start sharing the vision of the school, but do we wait for a teacher or start in faith? So confusing!

I am still very focused on Sefton as we have no complete cover for the 6 months, so I am still organising the finances etc. from UK. Crazy but no way round it. Life is so hard to set up in the UK (even setting up Broadband!!!) and it is a big adjustment. Believe me. We have been buzzing around Scotland over the last 4 weeks and it feels as if our feet has not touched the ground. And in between I have been struggling to get our itinerary in shape and literature done. Impossible.

So bear with us as we take time to adjust. It takes time. All the ideal things that they told us to do on our 'Care for Mission' interview 3 years ago went out the window when Abe got sick. Everything else - our plans and schedules - took second place, and now we are playing catch up. Only, we have no energy to catch anything!

If you don't believe me, believe a Doctor! There is an excellent web-site that deals with the area of missions from a UK perspective. It is called "OSCAR" and every Pastor and Church should read their stuff. They are excellent and provide excellent material for every aspect of missions. Dr. Debbie Hawker is a writer for OSCAR, and she has written this article about 'Re-entry'. Happy reading ... I pray it will challenge you.


Re-entering the ‘home culture'
60% of returned expatriates report that they had predominantly negative feelings about returning to their own country. It is common to feel confused; disoriented; ‘like a fish out of water’; exhausted; frustrated with materialism, and overwhelmed by the amount of choice in supermarkets (e.g. by six different brands of diet dog-food!). Such feelings are sometimes referred to as ‘reverse culture shock’. Some people feel disappointed that expectations they had before they went abroad have not been fulfilled. Some people have to return earlier than they expected.

Many missionaries experience signs of mild depression for a short period after returning to their own country. These may include a lack of energy; sleeping problems; irritability; difficulty making decisions; a change in appetite; tearfulness; feeling unhappy, and feeling overwhelmed by small tasks. Some people find that they cannot stop thinking about their experiences overseas, and that it is hard to concentrate on anything else. For other people there is a sense of numbness, and the time abroad seems distant or unreal. Some try to cope by not thinking about their life overseas.

It is important to realize that such symptoms are completely normal after living in a different culture, just as a grieving process is normal and expected after the death of someone you love. It is important that you do not criticize yourself for feeling this way, or get depressed about feeling depressed. People who accept their feelings as a normal part of the readjustment process tend to get over them more easily. It often takes at least 18 months before people feel ‘back to normal’ in their own culture. People who adapted most to the culture overseas and were most involved generally take longer than those who were not so involved with the local culture. Rushing back overseas again is generally not a good idea, as this causes more stress, and makes the next re-entry even more difficult. It is generally better to wait until you feel more settled before considering another move.

Whether your experiences were positive, negative, or mixed, relating them to someone who understands can help you move on to the next step in your life. As well as talking with friends and family, many people find it helpful to have a more formal debriefing session. Personal debriefing has been defined as ‘telling your story to someone who understands, until you are heard in such a way as to bring “closure” to your experience, so that you are free to move on’. Personal debriefing is recommended for all returned missionaries, as it can help you reflect on your experiences, cope with the stress of readjustment, and enhance self-understanding and personal growth.

If you experience symptoms of stress or depression, take special care of yourself. Don’t berate yourself, as such symptoms are a common part of re-entry. Moving cultures is exhausting. It is important that you take sufficient time to rest and relax on your return. You may need to sleep more than normal. Try to avoid making major decisions until you have had time to readjust. Even if people keep asking, ‘Are you going to go back?’ or ‘When are you going to get a job’, don’t feel forced into making decisions too soon. It may be helpful to turn down some invitations at first, and take things slowly for a while. On the other hand, it is important that you do not avoid all forms of activity. Prioritize the things you want (or need) to do.

Doing things which you enjoy and which give you a sense of achievement can help defeat feelings of depression. Spend time with supportive people, and look for opportunities to laugh. Moderate exercise, like walking, helps to reduce feelings of stress, and acts as a natural anti-depressant. To look after your health, try to eat a balanced diet. Avoid drinking excessive caffeine or alcohol, as these can interfere with your readjustment. Cry if you feel like crying - it is a healthy thing to do. Don’t take on too much, but set yourself small, achievable goals. Recognize when you are under stress and do things which help you to relax. Accidents are more common at times of tiredness and stress, so take extra care, especially when driving.

Try not to dwell on negative thoughts. Think about what you achieved and learned through your time overseas. This is not to deny that there may also have been negative experiences, but it can help you to see that the experience has not been meaningless.

Although this description of difficulties might sound very negative, most people readjust well given time. Most say that they would not have wanted to miss the experiences they had overseas, despite any negative feelings they may have on return. Even those who experience depression or stress symptoms completely recover when they receive help. It is important to remember:

* Having some difficulties fitting in when you first return is normal
* Adjustment takes time
* It is best if you don't bottle up your feelings or criticize yourself for having them
* Talking about your experiences can help, and debriefing is very beneficial
* If you are worried about any difficulties, or if symptoms persist, contact someone for help
* You have coped with transitions in the past, and you will get through this too


This article was written by Dr Debbie Hawker. Debbie and her husband David are Christian clinical psychologists who specialize in offering help to missionaries and their families. They are based in the Midlands (England).