Reliant's general policy for international missionaries employed by Reliant includes taking a furlough stateside every 2 years. The goal of a furlough is for rest and relaxation for the missionary in addition to shoring up of missionary funding and generally lasts 3 months.  Other furlough arrangements are allowable with approval from field leadership and Missionary Resources. 

Forms to complete

• Furlough Form
• Travel Notification Form 

See also: Travel Assistance insurance for ACE International Travel Assistance information

Questions to help prepare for furlough

MTD

• Do I have a plan to spend at least 1 month prior to leaving making calls to schedule MTD appointments?
• What is my MTD goal while stateside? How much do I hope to raise in (ex. recurring gifts?)
• Are there MTD supplies I need to order prior to my arriving in the US?  
• See Guide for Returning to Full-Time MTD and Returning to Full-Time MTD Resources 

• Tips:

  • Begin thinking about MTD and your furlough about 6 months prior. Take those 6 months to "scrub" your Reliant donor data.
  • About 2 months prior begin planning and making contact to schedule appointments while stateside. 
  • Consider multiple communication tools, such as Skype, Facebook, Twitter, texting, email, etc.  See Using Communications Media in MTD for more details.
  • Consider asking existing donors to increase their giving. 

Personal

• Have I scheduled time for relaxation and refreshment (not including time with family in the States)? 
• Some retreat centers are free to missionaries if you reserve them in advance. See Free Retreat Centers for more details. This is a great opportunity for your family to get away and do something relaxing for free.  
• Are there any specific areas I need to be praying through while on furlough?
• What are my expectations when I come back with family and friends?
• What is realistic?
• Consider reading these Re-Entry Resources

Reliant Office

• Schedule a call with the Reliant office prior to your furlough. 
• Do I have specific questions for the Reliant office to bring up during my professional debrief? 
  • Insurance Questions.  See International Insurance
  • Support goal worksheet questions. See International Support Goal Worksheet  
  • MTD questions.  See Guide for Returning to Full-Time MTD
  • Policy questions
  • Reimbursement questions 

Sending Church

• Are there any areas of concern that I need to discuss with my sending pastor/church?
• What tools or support might I need from my sending church?
• Do I feel I have a good level of support and/or communication from my sending church? 
• What other support would I like to see? 

Potential Travel Agents