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3.4 When should I start planning?
Generally (apart from emergencies) a minimum of 12 months' preparation will be necessary. This allows for information gathering, correspondence, interviews, obtaining visas and necessary certificates, immunisations, registration, raising financial and prayer support, arranging future employment and allowing enough space for alternative arrangements if plans fall through. It can take time to make the necessary arrangements for renting or selling a property.

If God has placed in your heart the desire to serve him overseas, the sooner you start the better.

• Choose to live a 'missionary' lifestyle.
• Aim to limit your debts
• Beware the acquisition of 'things'.
• Buy only what you can afford to pay cash for, without borrowing
• Hold lightly to material things.

Otherwise your freedom to 'up and go' when the time comes may be limited.

Food for thought The sooner you step out of the boat and onto the water, the sooner you will hear God's voice leading you onto the next step The longer you stay put the harder it will be to uproot

It is often family commitments that hold people back e.g. a partner's career plan, children's needs, a mortgage and the needs of elderly parents etc. The older you get the less flexible you become and the harder it is to adapt to conditions in another culture.

Don't be distracted by the disapproval of peers or worried about career prospects. God guides and blesses those who are 'sold out' to Him and your future life and career (and that of your family) is in his sovereign hands.


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Acknowledgements My thanks to Chris Lavy, Eldryd Parry, Ian Spillman and Nick Wooding, all of whom have worked overseas and have a continuing involvement, for their helpful comments and advice. First edition 1994 - Entitled ‘A Medical Missions Handbook’ by Peter Saunders. Second Edition 1998 (updated April 2000) Third Edition September 2003 - by Peter Armon Fourth Edition 2007 – renamed ‘Working Abroad’ - totally revised & rewritten by Peter Armon All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the CMF. Christian Medical Fellowship 6 Marshalsea Road London SE1 1HL Tel. 020 7234 9660 Fax 020 7234 9661 Websites:www.cmf.org.uk and www.healthserve.org Christian Medical Fellowship is a registered charity No. 1039823 DISCLAIMER While seeking to be accurate in all the details contained in this document, CMF cannot be held responsible for the information contained in this booklet. The reader should double check the information for him/herself