If you are not intentional in planning rest and rejuvenation during home assignment, chances are - it will not happen! Some workers choose to spend a week or two in an alternate foreign location, on the front-end or back-end of home assignment. Others choose to spend a week at a formal debrief center, or some time at a more non-structured retreat space. Others may opt to take a vacation with family. Think about what would be most helpful for you and your family and plan accordingly.
We have compiled a list of places throughout the US (and the world) that provide options for cross-cultural workers. We are always looking for great resources. If you have experienced a great place to retreat or debrief, let us know! Additionally, if you find any of this information to be out-of-date, we would love to know that as well.
Goer Debrief and Counseling
Center for Intercultural Training | North Carolina | CIT offers a Debrief Retreat and a guided Spirital Retreat (Engage Retreat). You will be poured into by staff who have years of experience in your shoes. See their website for dates and pricing. There are programs for children alongside adult programs, that give you and your children a similar language for talking together about the difficulties of transitioning between cultures. |
Missionary Training International | Colorado | MTI offers a weeklong debrief for workers who have been serving overseas for at least one year. It is not necessary to wait until the end of your final term to experience the blessings of a debrief. You are welcome to attend in between terms. There are programs for children alongside adult programs, that give you and your children a similar language for talking together about the difficulties of transitioning between cultures. |
TRAIN International | Missouri | Abide Debriefing lasts five days and provides time and space for adults and kids to process field experiences, be refreshed and renewed, connect with other cross-cultural workers, and prepare for a healthy transition. See website for dates and pricing. |
TCK Training - Family Debriefing | Pensecola, FL | Mobile | Virtual | TCK (Third Culture Kids) Training provides debrief options that will fit any family's unique needs or crazy furlough schedule. Parents will be more involved with their children's own debriefing. Debriefs do not specifically debrief parents as individuals, but is done more in a group setting and more focused on children's experience. |
Valeo | South Carolina | Valeo offers Goer debrief, counseling and Christian Psychiatry for Cross-cultural workers across the globe. In person services are available at their home office, but they specialize in providing high-quality online services for international workers, no matter where they are in the world. |
Retreat Centers - US
These are mostly free or offer significant discounts for overseas workers.
| Quiet Place Ministries www.quietplaceministries.org | Michigan | Quiet Place Ministries rents cottages or cabins in quiet, peaceful settings for workers to have a retreat at no cost for lodging. Quiet Place Ministries provides places where families can spend time together with the Lord. Children are welcome (meals are not included). |
| Missionary Care Ministry www.missionarycareministry.org | Georgia | Missionary Care Ministry offers goers free lodging for up to a month in a guesthouse on 11 acres of land. This is intended to provide restoration to those who need to be encouraged and equipped to better proclaim the gospel. Singles, couples, and large families are welcome (some meals are provided). |
| CleftRock Retreat Center www.cleftrock.org | Kentucky | CleftRock Retreat Center is a sanctuary for those needing a time of physical rest and spiritual renewing. Located in southeastern Kentucky, cleftRock is nestled in the foothills of the Cumberland mountains. Just two hours from Louisville, Cincinnati, and Knoxville, we offer cabin retreats, hiking trails, and a resource center for cross-cultural workers and pastors. Cross-cultural workers and pastors stay free two nights. Food not included. |
Goer Debrief and Counseling Centers - International
David & Suzanne | Mobile | David and Suzanne are located in the Middle East, where they mentor and care for other cross-cultural workers. They offer debriefing for all categories of single, married and families with TCKs. They are happy to welcome you to their home for debriefing or to travel to you (or a third location). They are part of the Reliant's Member Care Network. |
Olive Tree Counseling Center | Turkey (Relocating to Budapest. Full through 2024). | A team of highly skilled, licensed professionals who are passionate about serving workers with cultural awareness and grace. They offer Clinical Christian Counseling, Crisis Response and Debriefing, Webinars and Consultations for Christian workers serving abroad. Counseling for children and teens also available. |
The Well International | Thailand | A team of masters-level educated and licensed professionals that offer counselling, soul care, coaching and debriefing. Services are available in person or online. |
Retreat Centers - International
Juniper Tree | Thailand | Since 1977, The Juniper Tree has been offering rest and refreshment for Christian workers, who work in situations outside of their own culture. Rather than being a guest house or hotel, the aim is to provide pleasant accommodation for Christian workers on a restricted budget to come and enjoy the peaceful environment. In normal times they provide three meals per day, Wi-Fi and a personal laundry service. |
Life Impact Oases | Several Locations in Europe, Latin America and US | Life Impact offers (globally located) hosted places of rest, retreat, and renewal (called Oases) for ministry leaders. Guests have the option of utilizing coaching services when they visit an Oasis. |
1 Comment
Unknown User (kate.pendola@reliant.org)
In an email with an elder from the sending church of one of our international missionaries, Dave Meldrum Green referenced this website which has resources regarding missionary transportation while on furlough (http://www.missionaryresources.com/missionarytransportation.html). This could be a good resource to either add to this page (if we expanded it to be about more than retreat centers), or created a specific page for travel while on furlough. What do you think user-1a794? (I'm thinking at some point I'll want to come back to this page and update it, so I'm leaving notes for myself here).
In the specific case above, it sounds like the sending church is going to buy a car to loan to the missionary family while they are home on an extended 7 month furlough, then sell it afterwards.