Reentry
"A substantial number of missionaries find the homecoming process to be more difficult than the initial adjustment to the field.”
Dr. Austin observed this fact almost 20 years ago. However, despite the well-constructed pre-departure programs that have been developed in the recent era, reentry is still often overlooked. Returnees, their sending agencies and churches, for the most part, do not expect problems in returning home. It is, after all, “home,” is it not? In fact, it’s not. Almost all returnees encounter some form of reverse culture shock.
ITeams' mission is to mobilize international teams to build transforming communities. In support of this, the aim of this reentry training program is to coach returnees through the return transition process so that they are mobilized back into their home communities to continue building transforming communities.
ITeams USA carefully prepares people before they go abroad in order to mobilize them to build transforming communities. Quality reentry training mobilizes returnees back into their home communities.
In addition, it is also an objective of this program to inform the returnees’ church about concerns and issues that the returnees will face and provide suggestions for how to deal with these.
Our reentry material is divided into Looking Back, which focuses on closure, and Looking Forward, which focuses on the arrival back into the United States.
Phase I, i.e. the Pre-reentry phase, takes place while the participants are still scattered in their respective host countries, prior to returning to the U.S.
Phase II, or Reentry Training, will be held at ITeams USA headquarters.
