Keeping healthy while working abroad

Four things that I am seeing are needed for the overseas worker's emotional wellbeing:

1/ Breaks from the location and work (holidays) – a break away refreshes you, getting you out of what can become otherwise a stifling situation without one realising until breaking point. Fitting around other people in your new culture and new mission culture takes a certain amount of effort, which is tiring. And when you are tired, and then face challanges, you are also less able to help yourself. Taking a break provides rest and perspective.

2/ Have someone, or better a few people, to talk to and offload on. This is best mostly done on the field – as only talking to friends back home can add to the gap that might already be felt between home and mission-field, and sometimes friends from back home can’t really picture your situation at all. Saying that, a few friends back home can be irreplaceable - for example my friend Sophie can relate well; she is Belgian but is living abroad (UK), and has also studied cross-cultural studies at Bible college.

3/ Having daily times with God and Bible reading time. Again, this gives perspective, (God’s perspective), and therefore guidance through life.

4/ Forgiveness, and mercy, from and to colleagues in particular. This is because love between a mission team is the most powerful witness. Lack of forgivness, esp in these closest relationships, also affects workers' health. Seing others as better than yourselves must also be the aim.