Beyond Reverse Culture Shock Part 3: The Journey of Post-Traumatic Growth

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by Shonna Ingram originally post at aLifeoverseas.com Welcome to Part 3 of our series, where we’ll explore each re-entry season in depth, uncovering how to apply the principles of post-traumatic growth and offering specific resources for each season of the journey. (If you missed them, you can read Part 1 and Part 2 at these links.) The concept of Post-Traumatic Growth hypothesizes that while trauma inflicts deep wounds, it can also create change. Through the post-traumatic growth journey, individuals can uncover new […]

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Beyond Reverse Culture Shock Part 2: A Case Study of the Three Seasons of Re-entry

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by Shonna Ingram originally posted aLifeOverseas.com In this second installment of our three-part series on Beyond Reverse Culture Shock (read Part 1 here), I will share a case study to explore the complexities of the three seasons of re-entry. To review: Season 1 (Return) encompasses the nine months prior to departure from the field and the initial six months upon arrival in the home country. Season 2 (Restore) spans approximately six months to two years after arrival and encapsulates the

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Beyond Reverse Culture Shock Part 1: Trauma-Informed Care for the Re-entry Journey

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by Shonna Ingram orginally posted on Alifeoverseas.com As I stepped off the plane at Houston International Airport with my husband and four children between the ages of 9 and 14, my thoughts were all over the place. We thought we were ready for the next season. A little broken, sure. A little uncertain sure, but isn’t that what God called us to?  We had read a re-entry book that guided us in ending our overseas service

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Processing Africa- Part 7 Retreat Day 2- Bus Accident

General, missions, trauma /

Over the course of day two, was filled with small group discussions, one-on-one counseling sessions, and workshops focusing on navigating life’s transitions. Each encounter brought forth a tapestry of stories, ranging from marriage struggles, moral failures to instances of spiritual abuse and unhealthy boundaries. Amidst these challenges, we also confronted the harsh realities of frontline spiritual warfare, where demonic influences seemed to the only way to explain what was happening. As the evening descended, a

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Processing Africa-Part 6 -Retreat Day One-Not what I was expecting

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This retreat began like many others, with the initial sign-in marking the start of what we anticipated would be a transformative experience. However, the atmosphere shifted when the first woman to arrive seemed visibly embarrassed, ultimately leaving the room in tears. While not an uncommon response, it sparked a sense of concern. Sensing her distress, I approached her by the pool, offering a listening ear and reassurance. As we conversed, she revealed that she had

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Processing Africa-Part 5 Rediscovering the big city (Dar Es Salaam) and getting ready for the Retreat

missions /

The biggest change to Tanzania was the main city of Dar es Salaam, and let me tell you, the changes were astounding. The city has grown so much in eleven years – they now have a few Pizza Hut and KFC fast food joints (because, you know, they definitely needed another spot to sell chicken!). There were other noticeable upgrades, like updated businesses, other restaurants and the airport. The airport specially was a lot different,

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Processing Africa-Part 4 Morogoro, Tanzania

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Returning to Tanazina after 11 years was an emotional yet profoundly enriching experience. Serving in this community for five years left an indelible mark on my heart, and being back stirred up a whirlwind of emotions. Tuesday night, I found myself grappling with questions of whether we had done enough and if we should have stayed longer. Tears flowed freely as I wrestled with these thoughts, but I recognized them as natural reactions to such

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Processing Africa-Part 3 Liberia-Trauma Training and Children’s Hospital

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During our stay, the majority of our time was dedicated to volunteering at the Deborah Kaye Moore Foundation. Engaging in various activities, such as painting and providing assistance, we had the privilege of supporting the community. The highlight was the opportunity to conduct a few brief but impactful trauma informed session with the teachers. In this sessions, we delved into the significance of understanding trauma and the importance of processing it. We explored concepts such

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Processing Africa-Part 2 Welcome to Liberia

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Liberia, the small yellow country on the west side of Africa, holds a rich yet turbulent history. Civil wars, famine, disease, and other challenges have marred its past. However, what’s particularly intriguing is its post-civil war narrative. Following the conflict, Liberia became a destination for those who had been sent back to Africa, a pivotal moment in its history. As I learned from a Liberian acquaintance, the country lags about 10 years behind most other

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Processing Africa-Part 1-How It Started

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Two years ago, during a conversation in Romania with a friend who had established a school in Liberia, Africa, she expressed her desire for teachers to adopt a trauma-informed approach. Little did I know that this conversation would sow a seed that would eventually lead me back to Africa. A year later, while assisting with a women’s retreat in Vietnam, the organizers mentioned plans for the following year’s retreat in Africa. When asked if I

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Part 3-The Unseen Trauma of the Mission Field: How to Start Healing From Trauma

missions, trauma /

In part one of this series on trauma, I explained what trauma is and what it does to us. In part two, I told you about James’s story. As we think about his story, we notice that he is not in this situation because of one big, traumatic event. Instead, it was small experiences that piled on top of each other that he wasn’t able to process (although there were some big ones in there too). James was

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Part 2-The Unseen Trauma of the Mission Field: How Trauma Shows Up on the Field

missions, trauma /

This is the second article in a three-part series about the Unseen Trauma of the Mission Field. Today we will explore the way trauma shows up on the mission field. As I mentioned in Part 1, the first place we notice trauma is in behaviors and reactions. If you do a google search on trauma reaction, you will probably find the three most common responses to trauma: fight, flight, and freeze. Fight is usually associated with someone who can’t control their

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The Unseen Trauma of the Mission Field: What Trauma Is and What It Does

missions, trauma /

In 2008 my husband and I took our four children to East Africa to serve in a Bible translation project. We didn’t go overseas until our early 30s. We thought that having some life experience would give us a little bit of an advantage over those joining missions right out of college. But my second year, I still cried and highlighted the entire book Expectations and Burnout by Sue Eenigenburg and Robynn Bliss.  Our time overseas had its

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person writing on brown paper

Welcome to the New Website and Blog

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With some help from my kids and friends, I am finally able to share my continued journey with you! If you want to find out where I started, or what I affectionately call my first path on my life journey, check out https://ingramfamily6.wordpress.com/. A blog I wrote during our Africa season. Now it is time to share my second path! Be forewarned that I am not the same person I was back then. I have

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Processing Africa-Part 8 Day 3 of the Retreat- God meets me in Africa

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As I woke on day three, a profound sense of calm washed over me, despite the intensity of the past few days. It was a whispering reassurance to my soul. As God lead me in a time of reflection that morning of the past few weeks, from trauma training in Liberia to reconnecting with familiar faces in Morogoro. It wasn’t until I showed up at the retreat, while serving missionaries in challenging situations did I

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