When you are on a dirt road out in the country on a dark night, trying to find a place you have never been before, it is awfully nice to have your cell phone and know you can call a friend who has driven there before. And when you are new parents and the baby develops a mysterious rash, it sure helps to call a sister with 5 healthy kids and know you’ll get good advice without condescension. In that first year on the field, should you feel lonely or discouraged, wouldn’t it be nice to Skype, call or e-mail someone who has “been there before” and will understand you.
RopeHolders is a new program developed by The Paraclete Center at WorldVenture. They are veteran, retired WorldVenture missionaries who have successfully navigated multiple transitions and cross cultural adjustments, and who are willing to serve as long-distance confidants to new missionaries. RopeHolders have been screened and trained by The Paraclete Centre staff in how to “hold the ropes” from the U.S. for our new missionaries in their first term of service.
That is how the RopeHolders program was described to me by WorldVenture. The picture above was taken during Pre-Departure Training when I first met Pat, my RopeHolder. She served for several decades in India. We had a lot of fun talking and learning more about each other. I am looking forward to get getting to know her better as I head to the field. It is also nice to know I have a resource who has "been there done that" as they say.
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