Tender Care, pt. 2, book review

It's taken me a while to get to this section of the book, mainly because it's the largest section of the book and there's a lot to chew on. I also got slightly emotional again while reading this section and felt very defensive on behalf of all missionaries. I wasn't feeling defensive against the authors of the book. Rather, the things that they were bringing up regarding the extreme importance of caring for missionaries brought up things that I myself continue to work through regarding the ways that missionaries are(and are not)perceived by the Church. However, I fall back on the knowledge that the reason people don't know about these things is that there's a huge lack of teaching. One of my dreams is to get into churches and assist with that education(beyond just speaking for 10 minutes). For now it's just a dream, but God can do a lot with dreams that honor Him, can't He?

So, on to the continuation of the overview:

The Care

This section deals with the following subjects: Unique Challenges of Cross-Cultural Living; What is Pastoral Care?; A Biblical Model of Care: Return, Rest, Response; Know Your Sheep; Care Before They Go; Care While They Are Gone; Care when They Return; There Will Always Be Risk; A Necessary Theology of Suffering; Assessing Needs in a Missionary's Life

Some things I pulled out of this section:

:*cross- cultural servants are real people with real problems. "Going overseas is like putting Miracle Grow on all of your sins and dysfunctions." No matter how dedicated we are, how sincere in our desire to serve, or how grounded our faith, the cross-cultural experience will expose our most vulnerable places

*even after years of living in the other culture, the missionary is still a foreigner. and the pressures of living in that other setting will take its toll on his life.

*what is the task we take on? To encourage, enrich, edify, and strengthen servants in ministry. Member Care is not just crisis care. The kind of care we are talking about is not only a powerful preventative measure to avert many crisis issues; it builds trust and relationships that will prove vital when a crisis does arrive.

*a care provider's primary response is not one of facilitating a remedy for the problems at hand, but rather that of being a journey mate through the hardships as God's purposes are explored. We are not seeking solutions, we are seeking insight. "What is God up to here?"

*spiritual oppression is a real threat and cannot be ignored

*learn before you go, pray as you go, listen so you know, care so they grow