The Most Reliable Thing in Missions (Besides God)? Change.

I sat on the couch in my apartment, feeling discouraged and confused. I’d been in Prague for more than a year and instead of feeling settled with a sense of purpose, I felt lost. I knew God had called me to Czech Republic to serve, but nothing was going as expected. The ministry and the church where I landed were not a good fit. All my plans for serving in church planting were crumbling.  

I visited other churches and explored ministry opportunities, but nothing felt right. God was clear that He wanted me in youth ministry, but I had no connections and no idea how to get started. Then one day, an email came through from a Czech pastor asking for native English speakers to help at a teen English camp that summer. That email signaled a change that would direct the course of my missionary journey. 

After over five years as a missionary, I’ve learned that one thing I can count on is change. Adaptability is key to thriving in the mission field. Most of us are resistant to change, but it is inevitable. Thankfully, we all can learn to adapt well and handle change in a healthy way. 

When planning and preparing to move into overseas missions, we expect the massive change in our lives that involves leaving our home country, arriving in a foreign country, settling in, learning culture and language, and so on. However, not everyone anticipates the unending changes that will happen throughout their years on the field. 

These can include transitions of people in and out of your team, change of ministry focus, change of churches, changes in your sending church, changes in supporters, changes in approach to learning a new language, or re-location (both within a country or to a brand-new field). There may be leadership changes, policy changes, changes in the people you serve, or changes in your personal life. Then there are the obvious changes of completing a term, returning to your home country for Home Assignment, moving back to your host country, and re-settling each time, which typically happens every 4-5 years. 

I have been living and serving in the Czech Republic since January 2019. I originally came as a mid-termer with a commitment of two years, but it quickly became evident that God wanted me here longer. So, while on the field, I applied for, transitioned to, and fundraised for long-term ministry.  

Within a year of being on the field, I realized God was leading me into a different ministry focus. However, before I could find my exact ministry focus and church home, a global pandemic began, and everything changed for everyone. I went from actively learning my host country’s language and culture while finding community to being isolated in my one-bedroom apartment after just a year of being on the field. Like everyone else on the planet, I had to change the way I was interacting with the world, how I was doing ministry, and how I navigated living in a foreign country. 

Why do I share this? Am I trying to discourage others from entering a life of missions? Absolutely not. I share this so you know to expect change, more change than you would have in your home country. I share this so you can prepare and learn how to adapt well to change. I share this to encourage you to face the change head-on and embrace it. 

When change happens, I encourage you to take the time to process it. Take the time to absorb it. Take the time to grieve the things that may be ending, and to pray into the new opportunities that God will be bringing you. Take the time to feel what you need to feel, and reach out for help if you need someone to talk to. 

After returning from my first six-month Home Assignment in Canada in July 2023, I struggled to transition back into life in Czech. Things had changed, especially with the young people I was serving. They were in new relationships, had started new jobs or schools, and filled their schedules with new activities. I planned things as I had done before, such as a weekly Bible study, movie nights and other activities, and hardly anyone showed up; a few times, no one did.  

What had worked to reach youth before wasn’t working anymore. On top of that, I struggled again with the Czech language and lost all confidence I had in my ability to speak it. This made daily activities like grocery shopping or interacting with neighbors stressful and frustrating. I was also dealing with insomnia and getting sick often. It was a difficult time. 

It took me time to process everything that was happening. With the help of TEAM’s Member Care and a few close friends, I grieved the loss of how I previously did ministry. I prayed often and spoke to a colleague about how to approach a new way of doing ministry. I recognized that I also needed to grieve leaving Canada, and my friends and family, all over again. I gave myself permission and time to do that with prayer, counseling, and intentional time with God. I had expected it to be easy to return to the missionary field. It wasn’t. But I gave myself grace and time to adjust. God was with me, and I knew He had a plan. 

Living and serving as a missionary overseas amid frequent change is challenging. There are disappointments and losses. But there is also unbelievable joy that could not be experienced in any other situation. Perhaps the title of this article is slightly misleading as I said that change is the most reliable thing in missions aside from God. This is true. However, something else that is also reliable: it’s worth it. 

Embrace the change. Because it’s worth it.