"Rentry" Workshop: From Mission to Mission

Last weekend I attended the From Mission to Mission weekend workshop which was held in New Jersey.  From Mission to Mission is an organization that supports people who return to the United States after an experience as a missioner or volunteer.  It was a gift to meet people who have served in places as varied as Micronesia, Honduras, Libya and Appalachia and to hear their stories.  Having an opportunity to tell the story to my experience in Haiti to people who listened well and understood was a very freeing experience.  As I spoke I recalled events, people, details that I had not given thought to recently even though not a day has gone by when I have not thought about Haiti.  It seemed that as soon as I finished speaking about the most challenging parts like Cholera and the deaths of children, then happier memories would come such as the tender or funny moments with the children, the humor of a Haitian co-worker, the support of the other volunteers, the beautiful aspects of the Haitian culture or the taste of a fresh mango.

It was helpful to be reminded that returning home is sometimes the hardest part of a person's experience.  It was also helpful to acknowledge the difficult aspects of my time in Haiti and how the pain and suffering that surrounded me during those 14 months did effect me.  I feel that some healing took place during the weekend.  I know that I left the weekend feeling freer, lighter and even more grateful than before for having had the opportunity to serve in Haiti.

There were other gifts of the weekend as well.  The day the program started I was able to visit with a couple of Marianite sisters living in New Jersey.  On Sunday morning as the program was ending my parents drove all the way from Rhode Island to see me for a few hours, meet my great aunt and her husband for lunch and then drop me off at the airport.  It was gift to just to be in the north eastern part of the United States during the spring time when the forsythia was blooming.  Meeting the other participants in the program, lay men and women mostly younger than me, who are very committed to service and social justice reminds me that there is so much hope in the church and the world.    

I recommend that anyone returning from a ministry or services experience overseas participate in this program and even those working in domestic volunteer programs consider it.  The program is called From Mission to Mission to acknowledge that mission does not end just because a person has returned home after a service experience in another place.  My mission continues as I strive to love and be of service to those I encounter everyday in my current ministry, community and in life.

If you are interested in learning more about From Mission to Mission here is the link:
http://www.missiontomission.org/index.html