One of our growing areas of work has been in the area of Missionary Member Care. For those who do not know, Missionary Member Care (MMC) deals with the logistical, emotional, mental, physical, social, and spiritual aspects of mission work. As a pastoral care and counseling center, we don’t have much to do with certain aspects of MMC, but have much we can do in other areas.

One organization we have been assisting is Asia Vision Short-Term Missions (AV-STM). AV-STM was founded back in 2003 and sends out teams of Filipinos and Asians on short-term and mid-term mission trips in Southeast and Central Asia.

For 2013, we have been able to assist in a few ways:

• Jehny has been able to do personality evaluations to assist members in self-understanding and team dynamics
• Celia provided training in basic first aid and health issues while on mission.
• Joyce provided training in conflict resolution
• Our team provided First Aid kits and vitamins for the mission teams
• If needed, we will provide post-trip debriefing

Bob will be teaching Missionary Member Care at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary this May. It is our hope that we will gain greater competence in the myriad of challenges associated with missions work.

Those who commit to serve in a missions capacity are “too valuable to lose.” For information on AV-STM, Click Here