Re-entry

Returning to the country you set out from, whether you’ve been away for a few months or many years, can be a bitter-sweet experience.  While we have the joy of being reunited with family and friends, we have the challenge of fitting back in and adapting to what is now a new way of doing things.  Many people underestimate the practical and emotional challenge involved.  Here are some of our tips on surviving re-entry.  Just click on the orange link below to go to a page exploring the relevant subject.

Why is it hard?  Surely it’s just going back home?

Planning ahead.  Don’t leave it till the last minute to organise your return.

Don’t forget the children!  Failure to include children’s needs in the planning can make life hard for the whole family.

Sort out the big practical issues.  There are a lot of things to organise, and here’s a list of some of them with guides on what to do.

Getting your church involved.  Your church can be a powerful support in helping you through the transition, but sadly few people experience this.  Here’s how to get the best out of your church.

Leaving home.  Going ‘home’ also contains an aspect of leaving home.  Doing it well is important.

Reverse culture shock.  You might not expect to have problems fitting back into your sending culture, but many people do.  We look at how you can deal with it.

Healthchecks.  One of your major tasks on re-entry is to make sure that you are completely healthy.  We talk about how you do it.

Surviving the transition.  Syzygy’s practical tips for managing re-entry.

Unplanned return.  Sadly some of us have to return in a hurry and can’t plan ahead.  Here’s what to do about it.

It’s also worth mentioning that twice a year Syzygy runs retreats for mission workers returning to the UK at Penhurst Retreat Centre, which help you take time out to process the transition you’re undergoing, connect with God in the middle of it, and plan for the future.