During your first year in service overseas, it is our hope that you will focus a large amount of your time on the below two areas:

Language Learning

This skill, no matter what level of fluency you attain to, is needed in making connections with the native people you are trying to share Jesus with. It is also a good plan to try and connect with a good Christian translator who would be willing to assist (or be compensated to assist) in your work if language continues to be a barrier.

You may find a local person who is willing to trade language lessons with you — they will help you with the local language and you help them with English. This is a way to develop a relationship that may lead to spiritual conversations in a natural, relaxed way.

JFA will help you find the best language learning options before you launch and after you arrive in your country. Please keep us updated on your progress and share what is and isn’t working for you! We want to keep learning what resources are best for our missionaries in any given situation.

Discipling-focused Cultural and Religious study (through the Reach the World Next Door program)

While doing your language study we also hope you will be studying the new world that is around you and starting to gain an understanding of how God is calling you to meet needs and share Him in your new home. By the end of the first year we hope that you will have gone through the Reach the World Next Door training and activities and that you will have started to develop your goals moving forward accordingly.

While this cross-cultural discipleship program was originally intended for reaching out to refugees living in America, we feel it is valuable to becoming a cultural learner and disciple-maker overseas as well. As you work through the learning activities, we will stay in touch to hear about the results and your reaction to each activity.