What is Member Care?
Literally, it's the providing and developing resources for caring for missionaries/followers and ensure that they keep in focus. However from biblical context, its love one another, bear one another's burdens, forgive one another as God forgave you. Above all these virtues, put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Definition:
It is on going investment of resources by mission's agencies, churches and other organization for the nurture and development of missionary personnel. It focuses on everyone in missions i.e. support staff, children and families thereby offering a missionary lifecycle from recruitment through to retirement. It is the responsibility of everyone in missions i.e. sending churches, mission's agencies, fellow workers and Member Care specialist.

There is the aspect of belonging to a community with mutual understanding. Since our goal is to develop godly character, skills to help personnel remain effective in their assigned work. So Member Care is an integral and important resource that is needed.

Looking at it from personnel level each individual must be able to find a balance between reality of suffering/sacrifice and normal desires for personnel growth/fulfilment.

The mission leaders at various agencies should be able to harmonize the organizational emphasis on "achievement/task" with the staff needs for support/Member Care ­Doing Member Care Well.

TRENDS
As we look at the mission trends, it's alarming the rate of ATTRITION IN NIGERIA MISSIONS likewise the global trend. This brings a fresh need to look at what could be responsible for all this. Most agencies have suffered about 2-5% attrition in few years.

There are many causes ranging from frustration, no fruits loss of vision, interpersonal relationship struggles, leader/follower issues, etc. However, we are focusing on the Interpersonal relationship which ties up in doing Member Care well.

Many missionaries will have a sense of worth and support, when they are cared for by sensitive leaders. This can only happen when missions' leaders, CEOs think on, when:

1. Goals like policy and contingency plans are put in place and ensuring that they work.

2. There is pastoral visit to missionary at least once a year.

3. Group of missionaries have access to Member Care team that they can easily reach.

4. CEOs empower sub-leaders to carry out pastoral care for other missionaries on the field instead of waiting for CEO visit.

5. Leaders are encouraged to go on annual leave every year.

6. Making it mandatory for every missionary to have thorough medical check-up every 2 years with a standard hospital/laboratory.

7. Availability of a functional rest home for missionaries on leave, so that they can relax and be refreshed.

8. Organizing staff retreat to e able interpersonal relationship development and opportunity to thrash out issues. Openness for growth and spiritual refreshing.

9. Allowing missionaries have exposure for retraining, workshops, educational development etc.

10. Prompt financial support and planning ahead for those out of reach during rainy season.

11. Putting in place a policy/plan for children education for the missionaries I.e. liaising with other missions agencies than running educational missionary school. Then secure a scholarship fund.

12. Remember that your family is the primary assignment than the missionary call. When your family is in shamble, you no longer have a ministry to project.

13. Let's seriously consider the rate missionaries are being transferred from field to field in light of their children educations.

Let's build a sense in the Missionary Kids (MKs) to want to become missionaries in the future. "No dad, it's you God called not me. I am going to make/pursue my career then, be a support missionary."