Rich works with Mission to the World in the area of missionary care. This involves ministry to current missionaries in the area of cross-cultural adjustment and readiness evaluation of missionary candidates. 

Rich leads two cross-cultural adjustment seminars a year for missionaries on home assignment. Through lectures and group activities the missionaries gain understanding of their experience and how they can help other fellow strugglers on their team. Readiness evaluation is for both short-term and career missionaries. During five events a year Rich joins a team to interview candidates with data from a series of psychological tests that aid in anticipating how the candidate will react under the pressures of cross-cultural living. 

Rich also travels to fields to teach national church planters and leaders in the area of counseling. In 2008 he will visit Belize and Cambodia to lead marriage seminars, and is working on a trip to Ethiopia. He also does phone consults with missionaries on the field. 

From 1986 to 2001, Rich and his wife Crissy served in five different church plants, one in Singapore and four in Japan. Their hope was to settle down and plant themselves in one!  Instead through those multiple multi-cultural team experiences, they gained a foundation for serving in the area of counseling to missionaries, and a respect for a clear expression of reformed theology to guide in the philosophy of ministry and the formation of teams. Mission to the World’s emphasis on cross-cultural training and psychological evaluation of their missionaries are two tools that will allow its members to experience the gospel more deeply and reproduce vibrant churches around the world.

September 10, 2008

New Email: rcgreete@gmail.com 

Give thanks with us for wonderful answers to prayer over the summer:

Elizabeth and Jonathan had an unforgettable month in Cambodia. God blessed them with good health for tutoring the Kim's children, teaching English, computer classes, and helping with the youth group. Jonathan led some Bible times and Elizabeth commented he reminded her of Dad. Elizabeth met a social worker with International Justice Mission and learned more about rescuing girls from the sex industry. They both returned home with an increased desire to return to Asia. 

Rich had more than 20 Asian pastors and trainees at his counseling course in Cambodia. They came from a neighboring country and traveled by bus for almost as long as he traveled by plane to get there. The days from 7:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m. were filled with devotions, prayer, teaching, meals, rest, sharing, crying, and confessing. At the end of the week the students gave Rich a booklet expressing their thanks. One pastor wrote, "I am so thankful for all you taught us about marriage. My wife will be thankful too as well as all of my church members." Another pastor's wife shared, "Earlier in the week I was so ashamed of the condition of our relationships, but now I feel hope that God is able to change and heal us. Thank you." 

Rich went to North Carolina to lead the re-entry seminar for 30 MTW missionaries. It was a profitable time to worship, share and process the difficulties and joys of their term of service. 

Julia, with Crissy's help, finished her online English course with an A. She professed faith in Jesus and in June joined the church! In July she had a life-changing week at church camp, immediately followed by tremendous struggles which continue on and off again. 

Please pray:

Since last spring, outside of her time in Cambodia, Elizabeth has been increasingly suffering from headaches and abdominal pain. She is seeing several doctors and endured numerous tests, but no diagnosis or relief yet. She and Jonathan continue studying at Florida State University. 

September 22 and 23 Rich will be in Atlanta to review psychological tests and interview career missionary candidates. 

Rich, and hopefully Jonathan, head to Ethiopia for two weeks in December. They will work with Andy and Bev Warren who minister in an AIDS community. The Warrens have asked for help with training in both counseling and church planting. 

Pray for her Julia’s continued language and cultural adaptation, and for a growing spiritual appetite.   

Individually, as a couple, and as parents we need to be filled with wisdom and humility, and want our home to be permeated with God’s love and compassion. Thank you so much for praying. 

Rich and Crissy