Our ORIENT training in partnership with Discovery Ministries equips cross-cultural workers with a solid foundation through spiritual formation, strategies for leaving well, principles and approaches for cultural adaptation, healthy coping abilities for culture shock, interpersonal conflict skills, methods for team building, awareness of singleness and family issues, and the encouragement and confidence to engage these challenges well.
ORIENT is a two-week, pre-departure training that equips cross-cultural workers to thrive in their new context. We combine a multi-day wilderness expedition with classroom instruction to illuminate challenges on the field and equip you with methods for surmounting them.
Preparing for an extended season cross-culturally is a much different process from preparing for a short-term trip. ORIENT is a two-week, pre-departure training that equips cross-cultural workers to thrive in their new context. From navigating the stress of transition to dealing with culture shock and team dynamics, we’ll prepare you for the challenges ahead and equip you for long-term effectiveness.
In this unique training, we partner with Discovery Ministries in Eminence, MO to incorporate a multi-day wilderness expedition. You’ll participate in a variety of activities that will help you understand your personal and cultural values, conflict resolution style, problem-solving skills, and the ways you function on a team (as a leader, under stress, and more).
We also include classroom instruction and group discussion, allowing you to process what you’re learning. Our ORIENT training covers common challenges that cross-cultural workers face, including dealing with unmet expectations, learning to embrace the unexpected, developing healthy relational skills, maintaining a vibrant spiritual life in a cross-cultural context, adapting to a new culture, managing stress, and understanding team dynamics. We’ll help you gain the self-awareness and the practical tools necessary to implement these lessons in your new environment.
In addition to the hands-on training we provide, we work with each worker’s sending agency and local church to discern what support systems are in place and how workers are well-prepared. Studies show that over 70% of global workers who return from the field prematurely do so for preventable reasons. Through ORIENT, we prepare cross-cultural workers to not only remain for the duration of their service, but to grow and thrive while serving.
DATES
April 26-May 9, 2021
August 30-September 12, 2021
April 25-May 8, 2022
August 29-September 11, 2022
ADULTS
$1775
10-19 YRS
$1375
**5-9 YRS
$975
**0-4
$775
The cost of ORIENT covers all meals, lodging, training content, materials and follow-up. Participants are responsible for travel to and from the training facility at 17043 State Route E, Eminence, MO 65466. If you have questions please contact us.
** Children ages 0-9 do not take part in the outdoor portion but join for the second week of classroom-based training.
I really valued TRAIN International’s coaching program. I would do it again and recommend it to other missionaries or people involved in ministry. I think it is very beneficial to use the coaching services as soon as you can after attending pre-field training because of how well the programs can complement each other. It takes you a step further so that you can grow in whatever areas you think need more development. Additionally, the sincerity and patience that my coach had throughout our time was really appreciated.
There were so many helpful things about the coaching process for me. I appreciated that the readings were brief and helpful, and the exercises really guided me as I explored my own thoughts and experiences. Ultimately, though, I needed a safe space and person to debrief my thoughts with and process out loud. My coach was an excellent fit for me personally - able to relate and speak into the "missions" part of my life, which is really central to who I am and the challenges I am facing, but also able to put on his "Spiritual Direction Hat" when the moment called for it. My coaching experience wouldn't have been so fruitful if he wasn't able to meet me in all of those places.
I came into the coaching process needing a lot of God's clarity about the future. Through my TRAIN coach’s attentiveness to the Spirit, giftedness in listening, and great care in asking questions that prompted me to action, I felt like I could seek the Lord for answers in deeper and more beautiful ways. Through coaching, I not only received clarity about the future, but God also used the process to root out fears and lies that were keeping me from being fully able to step into who God created me to be.
This ACCESS coaching has gone beyond my expectations. So much information and freedom to adjust and fit our personal needs where we are as a church. With the trainers having been on the field themselves, serving on teams coaching global workers, and working in church contexts, it felt like they could speak so directly with wisdom for where we find ourselves and where we want to go. Great job, A+!
I see and firmly believe now having been on the field for six months, ORIENT training greatly helped my marriage, my field expectations, and my cultural awareness. It has helped us navigate through some of our team conflict without becoming discouraged or overwhelmed. Thank you for everything!
It was so great that at TRAIN you have youth and children's tracks in ABIDE that allowed our kids to be near to us and to also have other adults pouring into their lives! We wanted to be sure our whole family could debrief, so thank you!
Honestly, probably the most crucial part of ORIENT for me were your spiritual formation topics. It was more helpful than I can say to be totally centered on God before I left for the field. It is so easy to get distracted and unfocused, and I don't know where I would be without that time at ORIENT.
ABIDE provided a training and processing opportunity that I didn't know I needed. It was a blessing to hear from and be heard by facilitators who had been where we are and could help guide us forward as we work through furlough and re-entry. Thank you!
TRAIN's ACCESS coaching was full of great material and excellent presentation. Even better than expected! You did a really good job of generating enthusiasm for missions for our leadership and our whole church. We'll be discussing and unpacking some of the strategic building blocks you gave us.
You could say that our missions team had become stuck in some of our ways for some time. Thank you, your ACCESS coaching helped breathe new life into our whole leadership and church.
Wow, just wow! This was one of the best and most formitive experiences of my life! Thank you TRAIN International for the amazing training!! I feel equipped and ready for the field! Also the people I met through this training are some of the most Christ-like people I have ever met! Thanks again for setting me and everyone else up for success!
At ABIDE, we were given the gift of time, listening ears and attentive hearts. The TRAIN staff had built such an intentional time for us that we could really process and unpack, the stuff we knew we needed to and some things we didn't realize until we paused long enough. The food was amazing, the setting was peaceful and really pretty, and we feel like we made connections and friends we’ll take with us.
Our experience with TRAIN International has been solid. They offer quality trainings, reasonably priced, by a staff team that listen well and care deeply. We highly recommend them for the strengthening of missionaries.
As a smaller sending organization, we are very grateful to have a resource like TRAIN International for our staff preparing for a cross-cultural move. We find the in-depth trainings deeply personal. Our workers are challenged and encouraged, a definite benefit for their pre-field preparation.
We love working with TRAIN International and are happy to send our workers to their excellent trainings. Our people have received top notch training at a great price. We praise God for their ministry!
