Accommodation (or the lack of it) can be one of the most stressful aspects of HA. Whole families moving in with elderly parents for several months, single people sleeping in a different bed every week, or renting mangy substandard accommodation are among the horror stories familiar to all of us.

Syzygy advises that, if at all possible, you get a place of your own. We realise that this might not be financially possible, but we think you should press your church or sending organisation to help you with this. You may need some space for processing what’s going on in your life, and staying with somebody else, no matter how well you know them, isn’t always comfortable and can put pressure on your relationship.

In an ideal world, your church would have a hospitality house set aside for people like you, but this doesn’t often happen. Failing this, a church might consider renting a property for you, though there can be problems with this if you are staying for less than a year. Give your home church plenty of notice if you want their missions team to arrange this for you. Occasionally someone in the church is going abroad and you can arrange to house sit for them, which is a real blessing.

Alternatively there are some Christian charities which provide reasonably-priced housing for mission workers on Home Assignment. You can find more details of these on the Oscar website.

If all attempts to find your own accommodation fail, you may find that church members are often free with their hospitality and some have large houses which are ideal for visitors.

Wherever you end up, try and make sure you find a place you can call home. If you can’t, find ways of creating your own space, or going out to get some solitude. If it’s not working out, don’t feel embarrassed about changing your arrangements. It’s better for all concerned that you get a decent rest and your hosts don’t feel under an obligation that is stressing them.

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