As a volunteer who went to Dubai, UAE to serve 80 global workers at a Thrive retreat, I am back home with a full heart to share some things I observed about the women I met. You’ve heard me talk about Thive before. I went to Tanzania in 2013 on one of these  retreats for women serving in Africa. (You can learn more about Thrive from my blog here as well). Ministering to women in Dubai was somewhat different since the Mideast is so unique. So many of these women were so incredibly commited to the hard places and hard people that they live among and want to reach out to. Many of these women were young moms who were raising their families in a land of sand and grey buildings… sacrificing not only green spaces and modern conveniences, but friends and fellowship.

The first evening I met my small group of women and I soon realized that they work within the stress of young families and traveling husbands.That may seem common in the suburbs, but remember they live with few supportive friends, hostile neighborhoods, abusive social practices, and many strict cultural restraints on women. Some had seen co-workers killed. Yet in the midst of  this these women understand a calling from God to love and reach their neighbors with the good news.

Over the many years that I have personally observed those going to serve overseas, I am more optomistic and impressed by this generation and their desire to work in difficult places for the sake of bringing God’s love than ever.  It is very difficult in their world to step out and create a homebase for their families while trying to serve the needs of those hurting and in need of hope in such bleak circumstances. In my group there were two Physicians Assistants, a nurse practitioner, a family doing translation, church planters and they were all moms with little kids. One had adopted two of her Ugandan neighbors’ orphaned children. These women became my new heros.

Besides Bible messages, small group processing, singing in meaningful worship, and precious time spent in prayer, the women also had the option to make various kinds of appointments. Some options were counseling with a professional, getting a massage, a haircut, a pedicure (by a non-professional like me), a health consultation with a nurse, or even to have their “colors” done. The troup of volunteers served for long hours each day. Each appointment ended with prayer. Our evenings were filled with laughter telling stories and playing games. One game was called “Taste of Home”, which involved a white elephant gift exchange of things that global workers crave and cannot find in their countries. The fights over Cheezits and marshmallows were hilarious.

I will add that as the new chairman of the Board of Directors of Thrive Ministries, I am proud of the effectiveness of this ministry in providing retreats that create a safe place for global women to come and be renewed. Our desire is to serve their needs and keep them doing what they are doing in their roles in the “great commission”. During the days together, I watched God meet their unique needs. The burdens they were carrying seemed to lighten as they were shared and were surrendered to Jesus in new ways.

I enjoyed being a part of the 30 volunteers who poured out a formidable gift of love and attention on these servants who deserved it so much. It was my great privilege to meet these women and pray for their needs.

You may want to consider serving these global women on one of the 4 annual retreats…encouraging and empowering them and being their advocate. Check out the opportunities on the Thrive webpage. 

From the international retreat ministry for missionary women that recently was held in Peru. One of the purposes is to love these women extravagantly for 4 days.

This retreat blog entry is a regular feature 4 times each year found at thriveministry.org

Written by Thrive staffer and friend, Bethany Hoffman

What makes you feel loved?

That’s the question Thrive anticipates for global women. We try to make them feel loved often—and in all the ways we can—in the 72 hours they spend with us.

In his book The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman identifies five ways we express and receive love that, when spoken, fuel us for everyday living:

• Words of Affirmation
• Quality Time
• Gifts
• Acts of Service
• Physical Touch

How do we make sure all 68 retreat attendees go home feeling loved?
We strive to be multi-lingual.

The women receive verbal words of affirmation, and sometimes with handwritten notes. It happens in small groups and during afternoon self care appointments where attendees receive haircuts, pedicures, massages, prayer, or counsel.

They experience quality time in individual and small group interactions. Each self-care appointment provides an opportunity to slow down, be heard, and pray with someone. Perhaps most importantly, the women have the space and margin to spend quality time with their Heavenly Father.

They receive gifts. Each morning, there are fun surprises awaiting them. Tuesday evening they got a Taste of Home—items they miss from home but can’t readily find in their countries of service. And generous donors make the retreat itself a gift for attendees.

The women benefit from acts of service when they discover which colors suit them best or have a makeup artist play up their best features; when their hair is cut and their backs are massaged; when a pedicure looks more like a foot washing and becomes a sacred experience.

Attendees experience healthy physical touch through massage, haircuts, and pedicures, but also through the laying on of hands during prayer, and when hugging a friend goodbye who was a stranger days earlier.

We are commanded to love one another. And so we do, in all the ways we can.

Do you love the global women you know in all the ways you can?

©2015 Thrive

My friend and Thrive Director, Lorrie Lindgren (click above or www.thriveministries.org ) told me about some stats she uses when presenting the need to reach out to Christian workers around the globe. She found these statistics from Christianity Today and other sources.

Lorrie states, “There are approximately 75,000 North American women working full time around the globe.  There are 130,000 full time workers.  Knowing that more than half of them are women, we project the 75,000 number.”

The Thrive purpose for reaching out to global women with a 4 day retreat in four different places in the world each year, is mainly focused on rebuilding, renewing and caring for women missionaries to help meet their needs spiritually while on the field. Thrive hopes they will not just survive, but thrive where they are and and do the work for the kingdom that they went to do.

As you can imagine…as the saying goes, “If mom ain’t happy…” in this case…the missionary family may leave and go home.

When most of us are unhappy, we have a lot of options. We can find support pretty easily. We have resources that those overseas don’t have.  Let’s try to understand how we can support missionaries when they are on the field and when they come back to your town or mine. Let’s make sure we reach out and get to know them. Our friendship may be just what God uses.

Retreat in Tanzania in Oct. 2014