LONG-TERM MISSIONS

Begin the application process by completing our initial inquiry form. A member of our Mobilization Team will contact you to hear your story, share some of ours, and explore possible next steps with you. As the Lord continues to open doors, we will personally guide you through the rest of the application process which includes the completion of a Pre-Application form and a Formal Application form. The Pre-App asks basic questions looking for big picture responses, and the info it gathers becomes the basis for the formal application.

When the formal application is complete, and your application fee has been paid, our mobilizer(s) will connect you with a Selection and Placement Coordinator, who will walk the next leg of the journey with you by walking with you through the screening process, discussing specific placement opportunities along the way.

SIMStart
Once all your paperwork has been received and processed, and it seems you’re ready to move to the next phase, you will be invited to join us for SIM’s onsite evaluation event called SIMStart. During these three days you will:

• Learn more about SIM and SIM Canada.
• Have interview and interact with SIM staff and volunteers.
• Participate in sessions focusing on life and ministry in a cross-cultural setting.
• Meet other like-minded people passionate about cross-cultural ministry.
• Discuss placement options specifically selected for you.
• Identify your individualized training and equipping needs.

By the end of SIMStart, both you and SIM will know whether we are the right fit for each other. If we are, then you’re ready to begin!

Relationship Development Ministry (RDM)
RDM is the name we give to the process of building a support team for ministry with SIM. Even before applying to SIM you probably already began this process by sharing your ministry dreams with friends and family. Once we have accepted each other and your placement is confirmed, we are able to open accounts for you and you are ready to begin raising support. We will train you and give you tools to effectively share your vision for ministry, as well as coaching along the way.

Online RDM Training
We have developed an interactive, eight-week online training course that includes a study on the biblical basis of raising support, cohort interaction, and SIM-specific principles and practices for this important ministry. You will be invited to join one of the courses which run at set times each year.

SIMGo and RDM Bootcamp
SIMGo and RDM Bootcamp are onsite back-to-back training events held four times a year at our SIMUSA campus in Charlotte, NC. RDM Bootcamp is the continuation of the Online RDM Training. SIMGo will cover the following topics:

• Maintaining a vibrant walk with God
• Computer security
• Personal security
• Member Care
• Serving as part of a multicultural team
• (more about) RDM
• SIM finances and medical benefits
• Dealing with stress
• Much, much more!

We value having a well-trained team, yet we recognize that everyone does not need the same level of training so we adapt our pre-field requirements based on length and type of service. Before releasing people to go, we want them to be field-ready missionaries, emotionally healthy people ready to adapt to a new culture and able to use their skills and abilities in ministry. As a long-term missionary, you will likely have books to read and may be asked to attend specific seminars related to your assignment. We believe that lifelong learning is essential to a missionary’s ability to thrive in ministry, so why not begin now?

Language School
For many new missionaries language school is required for effective communication in the new culture. Individual needs vary depending on location and anticipated ministry, and in some cases language school takes place where you will serve.

When you arrive in your much-anticipated place of service, your new SIM colleagues will welcome you and orient you to your new surroundings. Your responsibilities will increase as you integrate into your host culture. We have been intentionally multicultural since 1893. Don’t be surprised that your team will likely consist of people from many cultures around the world. Along the way, you can expect ongoing member care from your SIM field colleagues in your country of service and from the SIM Canada Office team. You will also have annual reviews and an end-of-term interview to prepare you for returning home.

Home Assignments and Debrief
When returning to Canada for Home Assignments and at the end of your service, you’ll spend a couple of days at the Canadian Office in Scarborough, ON. During your time here, you will participate in a re-entry interview, giving you the opportunity to share freely about your experience on the field. You’ll also meet with people in various departments to discuss your accounts, personal needs, and what comes next – whether returning to the field or settling back in Canada. Either way, coming home can be more difficult than leaving home, so we’ll talk about those dynamics and help you make the adjustment well.

Medical Checkup
As part of the re-entry process, you will be given a chance to meet with our health coordinator to discuss your physical health over the last term and to receive information you may need for follow up.