PTM

Oct. 7th-11th was the Pastors to Missionaries' Conference sponsored by Barnabas International. This year there were seven of us there from IM, the largest number yet! As always, the conference was encouraging and a great place to learn, network, and be better equipped in the ministry of helping missionaries thrive.

The IM contingent

The theme of this year's conference was "Overflow," and as always, the main speaker and worship leader were challenging and a great encouragement to my heart and soul. There are great workshops to chose from and this year's choices were no exception:

*Caring for Business as Mission Workers – Their Needs and the Opportunities
*Parents of Missionaries: An Overlooked Part of the Team
*Because of God’s Love, Suffering Produces Endurance, Character and Hope
*Healthy Influence in the World of Member Care
*Mind the Gaps: Engaging the Church in Missionary Care
*Blind Spots and Worldview Assumptions in Cross-Cultural Member Care
*Mentoring a Millennial – Mentoring for Life
*Same Sex Attraction: What Missionary Caregivers Need to Know
*Changing Seasons: Providing Care over the Missionary Life Cycle
*Soul Care
*Debriefing through Collage, Parts 1 & 2: A Different Approach to Presenting One’s Story 
*Women in Missions    
*Coaching: Drawing Hope from Rivers of Living Water
*Bringing Hope to Ministry Marriages        
*Outsourcing your Services – Ways to Expand your Ministry and Increase your Income
  

Depending on which workshops you chose, you had time for 4-5. I went to 3, but one of them was in two longer parts over the course of two days. I attended "Women in Missions," "Blind Spots and Worldview Assumptions in Cross-Cultural Member Care," and "Debriefing through Collage, Parts 1 &2: A Different Approach to Presenting One's Story.

My favorite workshop was the one on Debriefing Through Collage. I've never been a big fan of Collage work, but I loved this workshop! I wish I could explain the whole process in writing, but I think it's probably something you just have to experience for yourself. I absolutely love having this new tool in my Member Care toolbox and will be excited when I get to use it. The above picture is my collage about my Grandmother, who passed away on Sept. 16th.

At one of the evening sessions with some of the other IM'ers

And a Fall photo from the last morning there(Black Mountain, NC)