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Presentation at Missions Interlink ConNEXTions 2013 by:Dr Katherine ThompsonMental Health Social WorkerBA, BAppSci(Hons), PhD(PsychMed), BTheol, BSW

164a Warrandyte RdNorth Ringwood Vic 31340402 343 029katherinethompson@guitech.com.au

Applying Systems Theory and a Psychosocial Approach to Cross Cultural Work: The need for a paradigm shiftKatherine Thompson and Brian MasseyOur Heritage

William Carey 1761-1834Shoemaker, Baptist Minister, founder of the Baptist Missionary Society, Missionary to India, Bible TranslatorExpect Great Things from God and Attempt Great Things for GodWilliam Wilberforce 1759-1833Member of the House of Commons, Abolitionist, founder of the Church Missionary Society and the Bible SocietyIn an age and country fertile in great and good men, he was among the foremost of those who fixed the character of their times; because to high and various talents, to warm benevolence, and to universal candour, he added the abiding eloquence of a Christian life. Eminent as he was in every department of public labour, and a leader in every work of charity, whether to relieve the temporal or the spiritual wants of his fellow-men, his name will ever be specially identified with those exertions which, by the blessing of God, removed from England the guilt of the African slave trade, and prepared the way for the abolition of slavery in every colony of the empire: in the prosecution of these objects he relied, not in vain, on GodWilliam CareyOn 11 October 1949 the Baptist Missionary Society gave a carved English walnut lectern toWestminster Abbey in memory of William Carey, missionary in India. It was presented by his great grandson the Revd.Dr S.Pearce Carey. The lectern was designed by Sir A.E.Richardson and made by John P.White & Sons of Bedford. The craftsmen who worked on it were Arthur H.Burton, Richard Bass, Leslie W.Gilbert and Alfred Hardiman. It stands near the High Altar and is about 6 feet high with a revolving top so that two Bibles can be used. The book rests are inscribed Expect Great Things from God and Attempt Great Things for God. The symbols of the four Evangelists also appear and the two lanterns are of silver. Under the book rest are the heads of four cherubim. The inscription on the base reads:THE GIFT OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY IN HONOUR OF WILLIAM CAREY 1761-1834 MISSIONARY IN INDIA AND TRANSLATOR OF THE BIBLECarey was born on 17 August 1761, a son of Edmund and Elizabeth Carey. He started work as a shoemaker and in 1781 he married Dorothy Plackett (d.1807). After baptism he became a Baptist preacher and founded what was later called the Baptist Missionary Society, the first evangelical missionary society. William arrived in India in 1793 as a missionary and he translated the Bible into many Indian languages. In 1801 he was appointed a professor at Fort William College and was later awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity by Brown University, USA. His second wife was Charlotte Rumohr (d.1821) and his third was Grace Hughes. William died at Serampore in India on 9 June 1834 and is buried there.David LivingstoneDavid Livingstone, the famous Scottish missionary and explorer, was born on 19 March 1813 and died at Ilala in the centre of Africa in May 1873. On hearing of his death A. P. Stanley, Dean of Westminster (no relation to Henry Morton Stanley who "found" Livingstone) wrote to the President of the (Royal) Geographical Society offering burial in Westminster Abbey. Livingstone's heart had been buried under a mpundu tree but his faithful attendants enclosed his embalmed body in a cylinder of bark which was wrapped in sailcloth and carried it to the coast and then sailed to London, arriving the following year. As the Doctor had been away from England for so long a correct identification of the remains was required and this was verified by the badly set broken arm which had been crushed by a lion. There was also the fact that only Dr Livingstone could have inspired the Africans to overcome their natural superstition of carrying a dead body for so many months in order to reach the African coast with all the dangers that journey entailed.GravestoneThe stone was laid down some while after the funeral and given by George Moore of Cumberland. The spelling of the place where Livingstone died should actually be Ilala. There are quotes down each side of the main inscription. To the north, from the Authorised Version of the Bible, John 10 v.16:"Other sheep I have, which are not of this Fold:Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my Voice"The inscription on the south side is in Latin and can be translated:"So great is my love of truth that there is nothingI would rather know than the sources of the riverwhich lay hid for so many centuries"This quote is from Lucan, the classical author, and alludes to Livingstone's search for the source of the Nile.David was a son of Neil Livingstone and his wife Agnes (Hunter). As a young boy he worked in a cotton mill and in 1838 left for London to do scriptural and medical studies. He had hoped to go to China for the London Missionary Society but due to a war there he decided to go to South Africa. In 1840 he was ordained and in Africa in 1845 married Mary Moffat. Their sons wereRobert, who died in America in 1864,Oswell and Thomasand daughters Agnes and Anna Mary. Between 1852 and 1856 he made his first explorations of the Zambezi river valley looking for a route to the sea. On returning to Britain he wrote a book and lectured. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and then spent his last days in Africa.William WilberforceWilliam Wilberforce was born in Hull on 24 August 1759, the only son of Robert and Elizabeth (daughter of Thomas Bird). The family had long been settled in Yorkshire. William was educated in Hull and at St John's College, Cambridge and stood as Member of Parliament for his native city in 1780, becoming a close friend of William Pitt (later Prime Minister). He enthusiastically took up the cause for the abolition of slavery, after being approached by Granville Sharp and Thomas Clarkson. After nearly twenty years and against much opposition the abolition bill received the Royal assent on 25 March 1807 and became law. He also helped found the Church Missionary Society and the Bible Society. In 1825 he married Barbara Ann, daughter of Isaac Spooner. Their sons were William, Robert, Samuel (who was briefly Dean of Westminster in 1845) and Henry but his two daughters pre-deceased him.BurialWilliamdied on 29 July 1833 and Parliament resolved that he should be buried in Westminster Abbey. His grave is next to William Pitt in the north transept and in 1840 a statue, by Samuel Joseph, was set up nearbyin the north choir aisle. The inscription reads:TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM WILBERFORCE (BORN IN HULL AUGUST 24th 1759, DIED IN LONDON JULY 29th 1833;) FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, AND, FOR SIX PARLIAMENTS DURING THAT PERIOD, ONE OF THE TWO REPRESENTATIVES FOR YORKSHIRE. IN AN AGE AND COUNTRY FERTILE IN GREAT AND GOOD MEN, HE WAS AMONG THE FOREMOST OF THOSE WHO FIXED THE CHARACTER OF THEIR TIMES; BECAUSE TO HIGH AND VARIOUS TALENTS, TO WARM BENEVOLENCE, AND TO UNIVERSAL CANDOUR, HE ADDED THE ABIDING ELOQUENCE OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE. EMINENT AS HE WAS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC LABOUR, AND A LEADER IN EVERY WORK OF CHARITY, WHETHER TO RELIEVE THE TEMPORAL OR THE SPIRITUAL WANTS OF HIS FELLOW-MEN, HIS NAME WILL EVER BE SPECIALLY IDENTIFIED WITH THOSE EXERTIONS WHICH, BY THE BLESSING OF GOD, REMOVED FROM ENGLAND THE GUILT OF THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE, AND PREPARED THE WAY FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN EVERY COLONY OF THE EMPIRE: IN THE PROSECUTION OF THESE OBJECTS HE RELIED, NOT IN VAIN, ON GOD; BUT IN THE PROGRESS HE WAS CALLED TO ENDURE GREAT OBLOQUY AND GREAT OPPOSITION: HE OUTLIVED, HOWEVER, ALL ENMITY; AND IN THE EVENING OF HIS DAYS, WITHDREW FROM PUBLIC LIFE AND PUBLIC OBSERVATION TO THE BOSOM OF HIS FAMILY. YET HE DIED NOT UNNOTICED OR FORGOTTEN BY HIS COUNTRY: THE PEERS AND COMMONS OF ENGLAND, WITH THE LORD CHANCELLOR AND THE SPEAKER AT THEIR HEAD, IN SOLEMN PROCESSION FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSES, CARRIED HIM TO HIS FITTING PLACE AMONG THE MIGHTY DEAD AROUND, HERE TO REPOSE: TILL, THROUGH THE MERITS OF JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY REDEEMER AND SAVIOUR, (WHOM, IN HIS LIFE AND IN HIS WRITINGS HE HAD DESIRED TO GLORIFY,) HE SHALL RISE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST.

4Contextual InfluencesColonialisation / ExplorationModernity and the Pursuit of ProgressScience and Rational ThoughtProtestant ReformationPolitical UnrestTradeTyranny of DistancePost-Modernity

Current InfluencesGlobalisationPost- ModernismTechnologyIndividualismProgress / Change / InstabilityTransience of Place / MigrationTransport

How do these changes affect the way we recruit and care for staff

What we do now1. Assessment2. Preparation and Training3. Support on the Field4. Re-entry1. AssessmentThe current emphasis of staff assessment is on the psychological profile of adult candidates.This means:Psychological testingA psychological assessment by a qualified professional2. Preparation and TrainingThe current emphasis on preparation is on raising enough prayer and financial supportOffer basic training on a variety of issues which may include:SpiritualityCross cultural trainingOrientation to organisation, etc.3. Support on the FieldDue to the tyranny of distance staff are usually accountable to someone on the field, and to a lesser extent the sending organisation.

9To what extent does this process meet the need?The short comings of psychological assessment:IndividualOrganisationalHow can the interview and assessment process better prepare candidates?What relevance does this information have for a persons placement and work?Top reasons why missionaries quitA survey of 453 mission agencies from 14 sending countries over a 3 year period revealed that 29% of staff quit for reasonable reasons, and 71% for preventable reasons.1. Many needed a clearer calling from God to go2. Many lacked sufficient or proper pre-field training3. Many lacked pastoral care(From : Taylor, W. 1997. Too Valuable to Lose)

The need for a paradigm shiftRaising the Standard of Missionary Care1Missions is a team effort consisting of:Confirming the callPre-field trainingThe rest of the teamMoral supportLogistics supportPrayer supportCommunication supportFinancial supportRe-entry support1. (Pirolo, N: www.ethne.net/wp-content/.../ethne-mc-neal-1-raising-the -standard.pdf):

This total care unit not only needs training in the skills required, but also in teammanship.Each team member needs to know how his part fits into the whole, how to relate with the other members, how vital his role is, and how his lack of responsibility may be hurtful to the goal.(Pirolo, N., p.4)Applying Systems Theory Biological theory that sees all organisms as systems, composed of subsystems, and in turn part of super-systems.Systems Theory focusses on connections between individuals, their families, other groups and organisations, and the resources the components contain.PersonFamilyChurchSupportersOrganisationCulture/Worldview

Work TeamNew Culture/ WorldviewLife stressors threaten stability of the systemLife stressors apply energy to this systemInstability in one or more of the systems around the person contribute to the stress of the person

Mapping our systemsKatherineCloseFriendsChurchPetsMentorsOther FamilyJackIanMotherNeigh-boursPeoplein my neighbour-hoodJacks SchoolOther FriendsIans workWork 2Work 1PilatesOther HobbiesGarden-ingDraw-ingWhat happens when we change cultures?KatherineCloseFriendsChurchPetsMentorsOther FamilyJackIanMotherNeigh-boursPeoplein my neighbour-hoodJacks SchoolOther FriendsIans workWork 2Work 1PilatesDraw-ingOther HobbiesGarden-ingRebuilding our systemsKatherineCloseFriendsPetsMentorsOther FamilyJackIanMotherNeigh-boursPeoplein my neighbour-hoodOther FriendsWorkChurchLocal ChurchWork TeamOrgan-isationLocal FriendsLanguage TeacherRelax-ation?What is our actual task?1.Assessments:Does the person have the capacity to adapt and rebuild their social system?Is there any risk factor that will stop them enduring the stress they will face?What place will this person have in the organisation?What does the organisation need to provide for them?2. Pre-departure Training and Preparation:As an organisation how can we partner to secure a good support system in Australia?How do we ensure the person has the right skills for their work? And the emotional capacity to manage under increased stress?How will we actively partner with the person to rebuild their support system in their new context?3. Support on the field:How can the systems around the person facilitate their work and meet their personal needs?4. Re-entry:How can the systems around the person make transition to life in their home country successful?What help will the person need for processing their experience and integrating it into their life?