Lastly, I would arrange for all members of your member care team to have access to the books listed below as resources for them to consult as needed. Books that I have found most helpful are those about general member care, risk, spirituality, abuse and pastoral theology.
General
Doing Member Care Well edited by Kelly O’Donnell
Worth Keeping: Global Perspectives on Best Practice in Mission Retention by Rob Hay
Families
The Grief Tower: A Practical Guide to Processing Grief with Third Culture Kids by Lauren Wells
The Family in Mission: Understanding and Caring For Those Who Serve edited by Leslie Andrews
Bear Cards: Feelings by John Veeken (not a book but a set of cards)
Identity
Belonging Everywhere and Nowhere: Insights Into Counseling the Globally Mobile by Lois Bushing
Risk
Facing Danger:a Guide through Risk by Anna Hampton
Spirituality
Spirituality in Mission by Amalraj J. et al
Abuse
Child Sexual Abuse in the Churches by Patrick Parkinson
Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft
Pastoral Theology
Skilful Shepherds: An Introduction to Pastoral Theology by Derek J. Tidball
Have you any suggestions of other books to recommend for new member care workers? Please comment below.
I purchased the books listed below and took them with me when visiting cross-cultural workers during ‘home’ leave. Then the cross-cultural workers could borrow those most appropriate for them. Books that were most often helpful were those about re-entry, burnout, resilience, marriage, intercultural marriage, singleness in mission, spiritual health, anxiety, stress, third-culture kids, forgiveness and pornography.
Re-entry
Burn-Up for Splash Down by Marion Knell
Returning Well: Your Guide to Thriving Back “Home” After Serving Cross-Culturally by Melissa Chaplin (a workbook – typically I suggest that they try to find someone also in re-entry to work through it with)
Receiving Them Well: A Guide on How to Support Your Loved One Returning from Humanitarian Aid or Missionary Work by L. and B. Ennis
Transition
Families on the Move by Marion Knell
Life In Motion: Growing Through Transitions by Ruth Van Reken and Amy Casteel
Uprooted: A Guide For Homesick Christians by Rebecca Van Dodewaard
Homesick: My Story by Jean Fritz
Moving House: Bible Readings For Special Times by Catherine Hickey
Burnout/Resilience
Unloading the Overload: A Christian Guide to Managing Stress by Cliff Powell and Graham Barker
Zeal Before Burnout by Christopher Ash
Healthy, Resilient and Effective in Cross-cultural Ministry by Laura Mae Gardner
Going the Distance by Peter Brain
Marriage
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman and Nan Silver
Married for God by Christopher Ash
Intercultural Marriage
Your Intercultural Marriage by Marla Alupoaicei
Intercultural Marriage: Promises and Pitfalls, 3rd Edition by Dugan Romano
Singleness in Mission
Single Mission by Debbie Hawker and Tim Herbert
Spiritual Health
A Praying Life by Paul Miller
Listening to God by Joyce Huggett
Anxiety/Stress
10 Best Ever Anxiety Management Techniques by Margaret Wherenberg
The Anxiety Cure: You Can Find Emotional Tranquillity and Wholeness by Archibald Hart
The Hidden Link Between Adrenaline and Stress by Archibald Hart
The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living by Russ Harris
Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman
Helping Kids Cope With Change, Stress and Anxiety: A Photocopiable Book by Deborah Plummer
Third Culture Kids
Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds: The Original Class Book on TCKs by David Pollock, Ruth Van Reken and Michael Pollock
The Grief Tower: A Practical Guide to Processing Grief with Third Culture Kids by Lauren Wells
Misunderstood: The Impact of Growing Up Overseas in the 21st Century by Tania Crossman
Raising Resilient MK’s: Resources for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers edited by Joyce Bowers
Emotional Resilience and the Expat Child: Practical Storytelling Tips That Will Strengthen the Global Family by Julia Simens
7 Tools For Cultivating Your Child’s Potential by Zan Tyler
Serving at the Ends of the Earth: Family Life and TCKs by Steve and Gill Bryant
Helping Kids Cope With Change, Stress and Anxiety: A Photocopiable Book by Deborah Plummer
When Children Grieve: For Adults to Help Children Deal with Death, Divorce, Pet Loss, Moving and Other Losses by John James and Russell Freedman
Bear Cards: Feelings by John Veeken (a set of cards used to facilitate children sharing feelings)
Forgiveness
Forgive & Forget by Lewis Smedes
Pornography
IP: DIY – Internet Pornography: Do-it-yourself treatment guide for men by Phil Watts
Captured by a Better Vision: Living Porn Free by Tim Chester
Have you any suggestions of other books to recommend for cross-cultural workers? Please comment below.
I purchased the children’s books listed below (pre-school, primary school and teens) and took them with me when visiting families during ‘home’ leave. Then children and parents could borrow those that were most appropriate. Books that were most often helpful were stories about children moving, living in two worlds, friendship, difference, feelings, anxiety, change, identity, sexuality and porn-proofing children.
Preschool books (some suitable for lower primary school)
Leaving home
We’ll Still be a Family by Linsey Painter
Harold and Stanley Say Goodbye by Jill Dyer (OMF)
Alice and the King’s Quest by David and Emily Grace
Sammy’s Next Move by Helen Maffini
Alexander, Who’s Not (Do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move by Judith Viorst
Gila monsters meet you at the airport by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
God is with You: That is All You Need by Larry Libby
Guilty Pleasure (Website, adult) – Focused towards directing people to course and programs that will help them recover from their addiction. – https://guiltypleasure.org/about/
Have you any suggestions of other books to recommend for cross-cultural workers? Please comment below.
Member Caring 