When we think of caring for a person who is a missionary, there are many important places and sources of support that are available, and AIM Care plays a part in this care.
The different sources of support can be visualised as a structure shaped as a pyramid with four corners at the base with the person in the centre and God at the apex, (the pyramid of member care). *
God is at the top of the model, overseeing and caring for us. 
At the base there are four sources of our support and care.
- Family and Friends.
- Church Community, cell groups, prayer supporters, Christian friends, pastors.
- People Helpers, those you would turn to for specific help and advice, hospitality, caring for financial needs, visiting you in hospital when unwell. It could include the mission organisation mentors and ‘member care workers’.
- Professionals could include doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, counsellors and psychiatrists, and the mission organisation leaders.
In the centre of the pyramid, we place ourselves, and the importance of the need to practice ‘self-care’. This includes developing gratitude, your prayer life, reading and memorising Scripture, time for solitude, rest, and sharing fellowship with others.
When we have the right support and care around us, we can thrive in managing our tasks of daily living, our mission work and being part of our community. We develop the strength and support to face challenges, transitions, and times of difficulty.
We can use the model to reflect on how Jesus was sustained in his ministry.
- He remained in close communication and obedience to God the Father.
- Jesus came from a family who did not always understand or support him, but they came together following his death (Acts1:14).
- He developed a group of friends, 12 disciples, three were closer to Him, and one – ‘who He loved’ was his closest.
- There were people who helped and cared for him and his ministry, those who provided hospitality, financial help and people who cared for his needs.
- His church would have been the synagogue, a place where he attended regularly, being part of the community, teaching, and worship.
- What about the professionals? The equivalent people perhaps would have been Matthew the tax collector who organised the finances, or the Rabbis who in the Jewish community were the source of professional advice.
- Jesus took time to be alone to pray, be in the presence of his Father, to rest, and to eat and drink with his disciples.
When we start out as missionaries, we prepare and ensure that each of our pyramid corners are full, and we set off with enthusiasm, as we are sustained in all these areas of care. However, over time and with moving away from family and friends, living in a remote place with no established church, or for many other reasons, parts of the pyramid of care become depleted. This can cause us to be weary and our own sense of well-being starts to feel crushed. By being aware of the areas of the pyramid that are empty and replenishing them, we can build up our resilience and know who to turn to for help in difficult times.
Perhaps you could use this model and take some time to note who is there or what is missing in your own pyramid of care. Then think of ways to build up some support in an area that has become neglected. For example, is it time to reach out to a close friend or your church back home, and ask them to pray for you? Do you need to take some regular time for rest, or would some professional advice help you with a problem you are facing just now?
If you would like to talk to one of the team at AIM Care Tumaini about member care or your own care, please email the office at clinicalasst.ac@aimint.org
Alison Bosson M.D. 30 April 2024
(*The Pyramid Model of Member Care was designed by Harry Hoffman of the Global Member Care Network).
