RE-ENTRY

DIFFERENT STAGES

• Leaving
• Transit
• Entering
• Involved

BRING CLOSURE

• The story of Sarah’s death and how Abraham handled it. (Gen. 23)
When Sarah died he grieved and buried her. But what he did is he let her die and went on to a new passage in his life.

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We must come to realize that this time is over. It will never be the same again. We have made friends and we have changed; but the truth is that it is over. And we must have some kind of “grieving” time.

RECONCILIATION

How are your relationships with your classmates and staff? Have you been hurt and not dealt with it? Have you hurt someone else and not make it right? Now is the time. There is a chance that you may never see or be able to make it right in the future! Deal with Now!

CHANGE

Soldiers coming home after war. They come back and then realize that they are different. They now see that they can’t live their lives like they used too. They go through something like a culture shock.

Before you leave take some time to think, “How much have I changed?”

PHYSICAL CHANGE?

Social Change?
You will see this more when you get home. Hopefully you are better able to see other’s point of view better. Better understanding of other cultures. But please note others at home may not see it the way you do

Emotional Change

Emotional changes are the hardest to gauge. You will find yourself not so closely bonded to certain people that you once did. Others you will be able to bound that you once were not able to. This is because experience that you have gone through and what they have gone through has caused you both to change. This is normal. Emotional attachments will change.

Political Change?
Because of talking and working with different types of people you may change political views.

SPIRITUAL CHANGE

Your theological view points may have changed because of what was thought in your DTS or talking with classmates and staff. Please don’t go home trying to change the viewpoint of your home church. You are likely to get a negative response.

FINANCIAL CHANGE

You may have changed on how you spend money. Also you may have sold things to go to you DTS and have to live with the reality after you have came home. Or you may have others talk about how you wasted your time and money on DTS. You also could see how some of your friends are doing better financially because of working at home when you are on the field.

CHANGES AT HOME

Were you going to sleep when you go home? What has happened in your home country sense you have been gone? Home town? Your family?

FAMILY CHANGES

Has someone died? Did a brother get married? Did your sister have a child? They may seem not to mean much now but they will mean much more when you get home.

RE-ENTRY STRESS

You may be feeling out of place, disillusioned, disorientated, lonely, depressed, isolated, irritated, and misunderstood when you get back. Here are some questions to help you gauge if you are in for a rough landing or a smooth one.

DTS LIFE

1. How long have you been away from home / home country?
2. What ways have you identified with the host culture/ DTS?
3. In what ways is the DTS/ host culture and life at home / your culture similar and dissimilar (e.g. climate, geography, language, religion, standard of living, ethnic groups, politics, dress, customs)?
4. How fulfilled do you feel in your DTS experience? What has it been like for you?
5. What will it be like for you to be away from your DTS life?

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. Describe your physical health (e.g., Stamina, nutrition, eating habits, stress levels, exercise).
2. Identify and write down some personal qualities that may help or hinder your adjustment.
3. Have you noticed any important changes in who you are since being in your DTS? List them.
4. In What ways are you preparing to go home?

TIME AT HOME

1. How long will you be staying home?
2. Describe the primary purposes or expectations for your return..
3. What have any previous re-entry experiences been like? (coming back from college, living with other family, etc)
4. To what extent have you stayed updated on events and changes back home (reading, news, letters, phone calls?)
5. Describe the quality of your support groups in your home (family, friends, church).