So how do they deal with the stress of normal life while trying to cope with these things, as well? We know a lot missionaries have a lack of access to everyday conveniences, but did you ever think of the limited access to emotional support?
Steve Edlin with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM)counseling department says the emotional stresses of life and change can be extremely difficult for God's people overseas. "People particularly in the Middle East and Central Asia work under a lot of stress. There's trauma, as we all know, in that region of the world. So there is a need for counseling."
The need is high especially for missionaries who work in areas where Christians are few. During the month of Ramadan, for instance, believers all over the Muslim world are lying low. Some nations have laws against eating during the holy month of fasting, even for those who aren't Muslims. Christians are often the scapegoats for "cleansings" during Ramadan in particular.
And that's only one month of the year. Other times are riddled with trials and persecution for many, on top of the normal stresses of being in a new culture, with a new language, and a new set of rules. For a missionary who has any sort of family troubles on top of that, counseling is vital for ministry to go on as it should.
Unfortunately, counseling opportunities in the Middle East and Central Asia, in particular, are few and far between. "Often times, the only option really is to bring [the missionary] home," says Edlin.
The situation is not ideal--or cheap. It's difficult for missionaries to take care of these basic needs, that could be crucial to a healthy ministry. TEAM, though, has sought a solution.
To help satisfy the needs of missionaries all over, TEAM is creating a counseling center based in Turkey. "Having a full-service counseling center which was in easy reach would help a lot of people to stay in their work there without being disrupted, without their families being disrupted--and I think, reasonably, at a better cost," explains Edlin.
A counseling center in Antalya, Turkey will serve as an easier access point for missionaries who wish to seek Christian guidance, adding to their emotional health. But the spiritual benefits will far outweigh even that.
"Healthy missionaries plant healthy churches and have healthy relationships," explains Edlin. "They're much more effective in sharing the Gospel than if they're dealing with a marital issue, or they're depressed, or they're burned out because of stress, or they're just traumatized by something that's happened in the country."
It will serve as a conduit to the Gospel, but how will a Christian counseling center do in a staunchly-Muslim region? Edlin says he's not worried, particularly since the center will be in the touristy city of Antalya. In fact, he's excited about the prospect of the counselors at the center reaching out to their Turkish neighbors.
The counseling center is scheduled to be running by June 2012, but there are some vital needs to take care of first. TEAM is starting the center with three counselors and a director, who must be a licensed counselor, have cross-cultural experience, and be a mature Christian, willing essentially to go as a missionary.
Pray for TEAM to find the right individuals for these positions so that missionaries can be emotionally and spiritually healthier, and their ministries can thus be more effective. If you or someone you know is interested in the available positions, contact TEAM today.
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