A transition toolbox, for when you look like a local but do not FEEL like a local
By Rita Haudenschild, longtime missionary to Taiwan, now in Europe —
Transition can do all kind of things to your system. Mood swings, excitement, disorientation, depressing thoughts, culture stress, loneliness, lack of social network, boredom, helplessness, lots of time to think on your own, getting lost in opportunities (in the theater of your mind), fleeing into the soap opera on TV, tiredness, sleeplessness, lack of focus … all of those—and please go ahead and add your own.
You think I wrote this out of a textbook? Ha! No, I have been experiencing all of these at times myself since we relocated to Europe after 25 years in Taiwan.
Do you remember any time in your adult life when you have been put in a place where you did not know anyone and anything? Is it suddenly hard to find friends you can call on and talk to without having made an appointment a couple of weeks ahead? Is it difficult to get to know some people who seem open for a new friendship? Do you lack the knowledge of the language spoken around you in order to establish deep friendships?
Transitioning to Europe is not like transitioning to Asia, where I look different and people are interested in the foreign, white, “beautiful” face. I do not stand out here. I do look like a local; I can speak the local dialect. But I do not feel
like a local; I do not belong here.
I do not feel this is my heart language.
Luckily I am an optimist by nature. Or should I rather say, God has been so good to me that I have a sense of looking at things from the positive side. As the fifth child in my family, I was told frequently that I was not planned—I was a surprise! My answer to that, rather than making me feel depressed, instantly sprang out from the bottom of my heart: “How fortunate! You are so lucky to have me now!!!” The world is richer to have me in it. That’s what God thinks of all of us, right?
But when you get into a depressed mode, this conviction seems far away. You sit in the room alone, nobody around you to cheer you up or converse with. The question is: How will I cheer myself up with not knowing a soul around me? Yes, I can chat with God … and everybody who is available on an app in the appropriate time zone.
Then, I get out my toolbox for “What to do in culture stress?” I’m struggling through this transition, even though I have been caring for and coaching newcomers and people in culture stress for more than 20 years
. I am glad that I have this toolbox of experiences and helpful ideas for coping. One by one, I:
One of the most important tools in the transition toolbox is to find someone to talk to , who will walk with you through this part of your journey. Someone who will take time and listen. Someone who is willing to share some of your joys and heartaches. Someone who seems to know what you are talking about. I encourage anyone in transition to find this someone, who can help you remember that you are important and have always been wanted by the great “I AM.”
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Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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