Returnee Engagement Guide

Prepare your students beforehand by integrating reentry ideas into your school year.

Just Before Leaving

  1. Give Back Home
  2. Give Digital Bible Society library in their language
  3. Fill out the International Connections Form to get them connected to other believers **Note: you will need their permission to fill out this form
  4. Set up a time and way you'll contact them about a month after they arrive
  5. Transition - let them know you're no longer their staff member, but friend and occasional mentor. This helps hand off their spiritual discipleship to their local connection.

Right After They Arrive

  1. Call or message them: Have you arrived? How are you doing?

1 Month Check

  1. Are you using Back Home? How is it?
  2. Have you found a Christian community/How are things with your spiritual contact?
  3. Are you taking a Sabbath? How is your work/life balance?
  4. How is your family? How are your friendships?
  5. What unexpected changes at home have you encountered?

2 Month Check

  1. Did you finish Back Home? How was it?
  2. How are your studies/work different than you expected?
  3. Are you able to attend church?
  4. Have you experienced any reverse culture shock?
  5. How is your family? How are your friendships?
  6. What unexpected changes at home o have you encountered?

4 Month Check

  1. How are your studies/work different than you expected?
  2. Are you able to attend church?
  3. What rhythms of Bible study and prayer have you gotten into?
  4. How are things with your spiritual contact/Christian community?
  5. What unexpected challenges have you encountered?

6 Month Check

  1. What stage are you in (fight, flight, fit, fun)?
  2. In what ways have you changed to fit back in to your old life? In what ways have you kept changes that happened in the US?
  3. How are you seeing God at work?
  4. What things are you learning about God?

10 Month Check

  1. In what ways are you bringing God to your school/workplace?
  2. How have you gotten involved with church community?
  3. What things have you been learning about the church as it is in your country?
  4. How have you been learning from your church leaders?
  5. What stage of cultural transition are you in (fight, flight, fit, fun)?
  6. What part of reentry are you in (initiate, imitate, integrate)?

14 Month Check

  1. In what ways are you bringing God to your school/workplace?
  2. How have you gotten involved with church community?
  3. How is your relationship with your family? With your friends?
  4. How did meeting with your spiritual contact help your transition? Are you willing to do the same for a new returnee?

18 Month Check

  1. Connect them with a new returnee (if culturally applicable) to mentor and guide
  2. Clearly change your role from a spiritual mentor with regular contact to a friend with occasional contact.

Main menu