Going to Mauritania

1
Who are we?
2
Going to West Africa

• The Early Stages

3
Shaping the call

• Bens story
• Engineering student wanting to serve the poor
• Growing passion for sharing the good news
• Wanting to combine CP with development
• Inklings for West Africa in prayer
• Discussed with others
• Opportunity arose in West Africa

4
Shaping the call

• Michelles story
• Gods heart for the nations
• Praying for the persecuted church
• Challenge to pray for Muslims
• Growing love for Muslims
• Desire to work amongst the unreached and the poor
• Took opportunity for 6 month placement

5
Fostering a Sense of Call

• What can be done in our churches to
• Enable individuals to get a sense of call to
  mission overseas?
• b) Nurture and develop that sense of call?

6

• Getting the Call What are the benefits or
  drawbacks ( implications) of
• Short-term team exposure
• Prayer Groups
• Making friends here
• Getting a Vision e.g. Perspectives
• Nurturing the Call - What can we do to
• Promote sending within the church
• Help sendee continue to prepare
• As a sendee, take responsibility for ones own
  preparation

7
Going to West Africa

• Thinking about Going

8

• Ben
• Talked with my personal pastor
• Talked with church leadership team
• They agreed to a 5 month placement to test
  longer-term call
• Frontiers bore training responsibility
• Parents werent happy
• Felt like just went and not sent

9

• Ben - going with Frontiers
• Counseling
• Training
• Communication with team

10

• Michelle
• Initially negative reaction from parents and
  church elders
• Released to go even if you never come back
• Sharing vision with home church
• Felt loved, but not understood

11
Sending Someone

• What are the implications for sending someone?
• How do we want to send or to be sent?
• What are our expectations
• Working with Agencies?
• Partnering with other churches?
• Influencing the location for the overseas
  worker?
• As a church of the overseas worker vice versa?

12
Going to West Africa

• Preparing to go

13
Ben preparing to go

• Presented in churches
• Began support raising
• Frontiers candidates school
• Attempted short term trip
• Home representatives

14
Ben preparing to go

• Read on Islam
• Practiced French
• Professional courses
• Vaccinations
• Insurance, pension, student loan

15
Michelle preparing to go

• Took Perspectives
• Trained others to take over home roles
• Befriended Muslims more
• Said goodbye

16
Michelle preparing to go

• Counting the cost
• Family
• Health
• Wealth
• Companionship

17
Preparing to Go

• What are the practicalities to consider in
  preparing someone to go?

18
Going to West Africa

• Start preparing now!

19
Start preparing now!

• Attitudes
• Loving God and loving people
• Prayer, fasting
• Serving people at home
• Humility
• Question motivation
• Investing in relationships

20
Start preparing now!

• Speaking in churches
• Most importantly in your home church
• Other churches too
• Sharing vision for mission
• Encouraging others in faith and obedience
• Support raising prayer, fellowship, finance

21
Start preparing now!

• Support raising
• Pray
• Start as soon as possible
• Dont be ashamed
• Be realistic about your needs BUDGET!!!
• Brochures, prayer cards
• Lots of small amounts are more stable
• Distinguish between one-off and regular needs

22
Start preparing now!

• Support raising
• Gather a committed team of pray-ers
• Have prayer events before leaving
• Throw a goodbye party!

23
Start preparing now!

• Other stuff
• Visit the doctor
• Spend time with your family
• Communicate with team
• Learn about your destination
• Language learning

24
Whats Next?

• Thinking of Going. - What can you do now as next
  stages of preparation?
• Being a Sender what issues are priorities for
  you to consider?