Providing Care During the Pandemic
This post is an excerpt from SEND Canada's 2020 Annual Report. To read more, click here!
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What’s an international organization
like SEND to do when a pandemic
sweeps the globe? Praise the Lord that
He put an epidemiologist on staff, for
such a time as this.
The COVID Response Team
That epidemiologist, along with
specialists in corporate security,
public health, member care, mental
health, and children’s issues, came
together to form SEND Internationals’
COVID-19 Response Team (CRT). The
CRT has persistently provided expert, compassionate care to missionaries in this challenging season.
The SEND Canada Home Office
worked in tandem with the CRT to
support Canadian missionaries. For
Patrick, SEND Canada’s Director of
Personnel, 2020 required an increased
level of care for missionaries
who were
responding to changing realities in
their lives and ministries.
Challenges through the Pandemic
Canadian workers experienced a
number of new challenges
such
as curtailed ministry opportunities,
emotional strain, grief in losses,
and significant uncertainty. Some
missionaries struggled with having
limited ways to communicate with
colleagues, family, friends, and those
they were trying to reach with the
gospel. Others found themselves
remaining longer than expected in
Canada due to travel restrictions,
and facing the challenge of “being on
the opposite side of the world from the
people we love and serve.” Loneliness
was a continual struggle for many
missionaries.
God at Work During the Pandemic
Throughout these challenges, we
have also seen God at work in many
ways. Patrick describes one tangible
example: “Some of our missionaries
have seen this as an opportunity to be still and work on their relationship with
the Lord.”
God has led them to “lie
down in green pastures,” where their
soul is restored.
God has also demonstrated His
grace by leading unbelievers to
himself over technological platforms.
Joseph, serving in Diaspora ministries,
explained, “On Christmas day, we led
a young person to receive Christ via
WeChat.” And he is not the only one
to have witnessed miraculous heart transformation during the pandemic!
Lessons Learned Through the Pandemic
In a time when self-pity and frustration might be expected, Patrick noticed a general attitude of anticipation as our Canadian missionaries wondered, “What is God going to do through this?”
While we can’t fully know the answer to that question, we are certain that God is using COVID-19 to teach some valuable lessons. Here are some lessons our Canadian missionaries are learning, in their own words:
Additional Posts
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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