What would it be like to live, work and raise children in a foreign culture…without friends to talk to in English…without grandparents to babysit? Think of having to learn a new language, a new city, a transit system marked in a foreign language, a supermarket that sells unrefrigerated milk in a box.

Maybe your children need to learn that new language to attend school, or you have to start homeschooling due to a lack of schools. Perhaps there aren’t the resources you need for your medical condition or for your child’s special needs.

You can’t even worship and hear a sermon in English!

That’s a snapshot of some of the disorienting issues that global workers face. Thrive retreats aim to relieve some of those stressors and provide rejuvenation physically, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

At Thrive retreats, global workers receive a respite from ministry and family responsibilities, and an opportunity to share with other women who truly “get” their life. Plus they have the glorious worship experience in English—their heart language—with 135 other women.

This morning, our speaker, Amy Galloway encouraged the attendees spiritually, as she spoke on taking refuge under the wings of the Almighty. And then this afternoon, the women had the opportunity to be replenished through self-care sessions. Choices included personal counseling, prayer, or spiritual direction sessions for spiritual healing and refreshment. Or they could get a new haircut, massage, facial, or pedicure for the physical refreshment…which, as any woman knows, is also good for the soul. They even had the choice to do nothing…nap, read, and sit quietly listening to the soothing waves of the ocean. And by dinner time, you could see that whatever they chose left them feeling like a whole new woman!

We still have a few more days for them to refresh, rest, and replenish so they can return to their countries of service and work with renewed vigor and passion!