by Andy Johnson

Director of Worker Care

Being the good son that I am, I gave my mother a call the other day on my commute home from work to check on her. Being the good mom that she is, she eventually turned it toward how I’m doing. I told her that work has been extra heavy lately, that I’ve been dealing with some crises that go beyond my usual workload.  

Hearing even just the general categories of things currently on my plate, she replied, “Now, Andrew, are you not in a little over your head?” 

I was glad to be able to reply, “Yes, ma’am, I am. Which is why I’m so glad to work and be friends with people smarter than I!” 

Being the good grandmother that she is, she then turned the conversation toward my kids, but it got me to thinking – how do care providers know when to refer or to get outside help? 

I am one who believes the majority of difficulties workers face on the field are pastoral in nature. So much of the work I do with cross-cultural servants focuses on listening well, asking good questions, helping them discover their own appropriate solutions, and pointing them toward the Father and the communities around them. That’s why I’m still a believer in local churches caring for their own workers (and thus help write this blog for you!). 

However, I frequently find myself bumping into challenges and issues that go way beyond my level of expertise (not necessarily experience, mind you – having been a worker on the field, I’ve experienced WAY more than I’m expert in, and I think it’s really important to know the difference between experience with something and expertise!!). This post is a decidedly random collection of experiences and thoughts on when the care you’re being asked to provide might just necessitate calling in help. 

• Anytime a worker opens up to you about abuse of any form – whether physical, sexual, mental, verbal, or spiritual – it’s time to look for help. These must be taken seriously and addressed rigorously. Depending upon your role in their life and your state’s laws, you might even be required to report this to authorities. We’re happy to help you think through this here at MRN. 

• Whenever you are told of self-harm or suicidal thinking or behavior, please get help immediately. If you don’t have connections with a qualified therapist, we’re here to help you find one. 

• I love conversations with workers about saving, about planning for their future, and about thinking about their next furlough or their eventual reentry. I NEVER touch tax advice with a 10’ foot pole - other than encouraging them to pay them! It is important to point your workers toward qualified professionals to help them navigate the intricacies of international tax laws.  

• While I’m at it, encourage your people to invest for retirement; don’t tell them how to invest unless that’s your profession. Make sure they are getting appropriate, qualified help. 

• Educating children is a challenge everywhere, but particularly on the field. Every field – every situation! – is different and often requires help thinking outside the box. Connect your young families with educators who can help them process the different stages of their children’s education.  

• Few seasons of a person’s life can wind up being more challenging spiritually than their time on the field. Encourage your worker to attend to their faith walk, something which might include helping them find a spiritual director for a season. 

• Leaving the field without a job waiting on them will be a scary thing for a worker. Help your worker get connected to someone who can help them navigate their upcoming change in career. 

• If, in the course of a conversation, it becomes clear your worker could use a consultation with an expert in their particular field and you don’t know one willing to work with them, please reach out to us. We’ll either have some ideas on people to reach out to or we’ll help you look. 

• Maybe you find yourself talking with a worker who is facing a challenge within your area of expertise, but you may be a little too close relationally or to the situation. If so, invite us into that conversation, and let’s see what we can discern together. It’s important to consider that even if you are an expert here, you may not be the right expert for this situation.

When we moved to Fort Worth, I discovered that finding a general practitioner who is both good at what they do and not overwhelmed is a bit of a challenge; it sure seems like specialists abound more than generalists. If you’re a church-level care provider, you’re likely more of a general practitioner. My encouragement to you today is to remain humble enough to know your boundaries while courageous enough to keep walking alongside your workers who are doing hard things in hard places. 

If you won’t take my word for it, take my mom’s, and ask yourself if you might not be in over your head. If so, get help. 

What’s not on my list that should be? Reply to this post with your thoughts on when to refer or get help. Additionally, if you’re looking for ideas about where to get help about a particular situation, I’d be honored for you to email me with your questions. Finally, if you are a specialist, someone with a specific talent that might be useful to workers in the field, I’d love to hear from you and find out what you do and how workers can reach out to you.