If you have gone to the field with an agency, they will have met you, probably organised accommodation and there will most like be cultural orientation set up for you to go through to kickstart your adaptation process. If you have not gone with an agency, though, the whole landing process is likely to be a lot rougher! You hopefully will have someone in situ who can help you find your feet and get the basics of your set-up needs sorted. However orientation to the culture might be a big gap in this scenario. We suggest trying to find a culture mentor – someone from your own culture (or similar) who has been there for a while and can help orientate you to the most glaring cultural differences you will need to be aware of and navigate through. We at FieldPartner and the FP Community are also here to help you, if we possibly can, so please contact us. We really hope you will have gone through the pre-field modules of our Crossing Cultures 101 course, as they will also help you now with your entry posture towards the culture. Above all, be ready for a big learning adventure!

Your field worker has just departed and memories of them are fresh in the sending church’s minds. It means a lot if those they left behind continue to connect with them and ask how they are doing, what their prayer needs are and so on. Inevitably though, as time goes by, people can get used to them not being there anymore. It is easy to simply move on and forget… This could already be starting to happen as, first, the lustre of the ‘honeymoon’ starts to fade for the field worker and then the enormity of the transition that faces them begins to hit home. It’s really important to be intentional and keep the connection going – in your communication with them, mention how much they are missed and how everyone is praying and rooting for them.

If you have gone to the field with an agency, they will have met you, probably organised accommodation and there will most like be cultural orientation set up for you to go through to kickstart your adaptation process. If you have not gone with an agency, though, the whole landing process is likely to be a lot rougher! You hopefully will have someone in situ who can help you find your feet and get the basics of your set-up needs sorted. However orientation to the culture might be a big gap in this scenario. We suggest trying to find a culture mentor – someone from your own culture (or similar) who has been there for a while and can help orientate you to the most glaring cultural differences you will need to be aware of and navigate through. We at FieldPartner and the FP Community are also here to help you, if we possibly can, so please contact us. We really hope you will have gone through the pre-field modules of our Crossing Cultures 101 course, as they will also help you now with your entry posture towards the culture. Above all, be ready for a big learning adventure!

Your field worker has just departed and memories of them are fresh in the sending church’s minds. It means a lot if those they left behind continue to connect with them and ask how they are doing, what their prayer needs are and so on. Inevitably though, as time goes by, people can get used to them not being there anymore. It is easy to simply move on and forget… This could already be starting to happen as, first, the lustre of the ‘honeymoon’ starts to fade for the field worker and then the enormity of the transition that faces them begins to hit home. It’s really important to be intentional and keep the connection going – in your communication with them, mention how much they are missed and how everyone is praying and rooting for them.