The process for a missionary to go overseas takes years of preparation and training. You have the opportunity to support them through the unique transition time in the months, weeks and days leading up to their departure to the field. Don’t miss this chance!
How can you care for them as they prepare to leave? There are many ways but here are three ideas to get you started.
Provide spiritual support before they go. Your goer will be in a spiritual battle for God’s glory among the nations. They are not wrestling against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of the evil one (Eph. 6:12); against worldviews and religions seeking to rob God of the worship that He alone deserves. They need to be prepared for this spiritual battle!
Pray for them and pray with them. Pray that they would “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10). Pray that they would be strong in their faith so they “can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16). Satan will try to throw flaming darts to keep many from getting to the field. Some of those distractions may be cares of this world like a new job offer, a new boyfriend/girlfriend, family opposition, unresolved sin, difficulties in support raising or well meaning individuals who express doubts about the need to go like, “we have so many needs right here at home.” Pray that they would resist the enemy by standing firm in the Lord.
Your goer is soon going to experience the struggle and possible discouragement of learning a new language and culture. They will experience loneliness being far from family and friends. Encourage them now with God’s promises to sustain them for the future. The word of God is “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17). They can trust God to be faithful to His many promises as they transition to the field.
You can join them now in preparing for the spiritual battles to come. If they are going to a Buddhist country, tour a local Buddhist temple with them to learn about the stronghold of Buddhism to know better how to pray. If they are going to a Muslim country, you can tour a local mosque with them to be more informed to effectively stand in the gap for Muslims. You can join them in prayer now before they leave.
Provide relational support before they go. You want to build a strong relational bond now, in person, that will continue once they are on the field.
Plan fun times together. Recently we heard of a sender who built a lasting memory by taking his friend and future missionary on a mountain biking adventure. What is something fun you can do together to build a meaningful relationship?
Have them over for a meal. Spend time hearing their story and learning about aspirations for their future ministry.
Create or join an existing care and support team before they go. Meet regularly before they leave to build a strong community and relationship so you can know how to advocate for them with your local church, and partner in their work long-term. This will also set a good pattern of meeting regularly to support them, which will continue once they go.
Provide practical support before they go. There are many practical ways you can help so they can stay focused on preparing to go.
Help them with logistical tasks like moving, packing, paperwork and preparing to care for loved ones while they are overseas. Many future goers will need to prepare their home to be rented or sold. Having a trusted property manager for their rental property (yard care, responding to tenant requests) is a huge blessing when far away. Involve those in your church who have handiwork gifts. Offer to store precious items while they are overseas.
When someone moves overseas they now live in two countries. They still need to receive mail, pay bills and owe income tax in their home country. Offer to help manage their personal business at home while they are living overseas.
Assist them in their financial support. Most goers will be responsible to raise their financial support through financial partners. Join their financial team yourself as a monthly giver and introduce them to your network of friends to possibly join their support team.
Help them prepare for skills they will need on the field. One sender taught their future missionary friend how to drive a stick shift as most cars overseas have a manual transmission.
Offer to help your church organize a send-off gathering to connect with friends, church family, and supporters before they depart. During this time, remember God’s work in bringing them this far and share about the place and the people among whom they will be living.
Don’t miss this chance to build a strong relationship and partnership now before they transition to a new place to see a healthy church planted among their people group in the years ahead.
