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Furlough, or Home Assignment, is a tragically overlooked and undervalued part of the cross-cultural worker's long-term thriving. So often, we give in to the urgency of the moment and grind as though the next year is all that matters. One of the best pieces of advice we could offer any international worker is to think with ten years in mind, asking, "what do I need to do now so that I can thrive ten years from now?" Nothing embodies this ethos better than planning well, setting healthy expectations, and embracing your furloughhome assignment.

Why

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Home Assignment Matters

At the end of Acts 14, after Paul and Barnabas had completed their first missionary journey, they returned to the church in Antioch that had sent them out. Verse 27 says, “And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples.” This was essentially the first home assignment: a time when Paul and Barnabas returned home from their work to report on what God had done amongst the gentiles, were encouraged and refreshed by the community of faith, and intentionally built up and strengthened the local church. 

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Now let's get practical. Whether preparing for your first furlough home assignment or having been on the field for many years, it is wise to start thinking through your goals and expectations for furlough in HMA in advance. Use these questions to think through what you hope to accomplish or gain from your furlough timethis time, and begin making plans accordingly.

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