Post Mission

So the mission is over. But something’s different.  Whether you call it ‘post missions blues’, or something else it’s important to give yourself time and space to process.

For me personally, I cut off the world as much as I can for two weeks after I return. It’s hard to jump back in and say ‘would you like fries with that’ when you just spent a week in a community where you were literally helping change the world. Going back to work can seem so insignificant.  Other people won’t understand what you saw, what you are feeling, or even how fortunate you now know they are compared to what you just saw.

I recommend a few things:

Continue to meet regularly with teammates to help process your experience and theirs.

Meet with other missionaries who understand what you’ve been through.

Take it nice and easy returning to regular life – don’t go back to work for a few days if you can.

Write and journal while working on your post-mission thank you letter.

Here is a great article on the “Post Missions Blues” & “The Mission Moment: How to Deal with the Post-STM Blues”

What is a post mission thank you letter? It’s where you report about your mission, thank your donors while ultimately leaving the door open for the next mission should you be called once again. Here is a link to a great sample “thank you” letter. You can also include photos of your trip.