Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
(Isaiah 43:18-19)

Words cannot fully capture the depth of healing and transformation I experienced during RE-VIEW this summer.

As a young adult, I had spent 7 years in the Middle East as a student and then campus ministry staff worker, then returned to Toronto in October 2021 to get married to my sweet Brazilian husband (that’s a whole other story). I didn’t know what debriefing was at the time of re-entry, so I jumped right into figuring out what life in Toronto would look like – planning a wedding, exploring job prospects, all while unknowingly carrying the immense weight of uprooting the life I loved overseas. It’s not surprising, perhaps, that three years later, I was still dealing with waves of grief, longing, and unsettledness all while continuing on with life here.

Enter the RE-VIEW retreat. When I heard about it through my co-workers and mentors, I wondered, is it too late for me to unpack all these emotions and experiences? But praise the Lord – it’s never too late to receive his healing mercies!

I was nervous entering RE-VIEW, knowing how much emotional baggage I was carrying, yet I was simultaneously hopeful that the Lord would meet me in my neediness. And as he always does, every time – Jesus met me there.

My entire experience at RE-VIEW was saturated with Jesus’ comforting presence. From the learning sessions to the small group debriefing, the 1:1 conversations and meals with people who have walked through similar journeys – I felt so seen, understood, and cared for by people I had just met. It was so incredibly healing to not only share my own story of transition, but to hear others’ journeys and weep, rejoice, and pray together. Simply being in another room with people that get it – this made me understand that I am not alone, that this is all a normal part of experiencing life changes at the tectonic level.

A particular milestone in my journey of healing was preparing and sharing my story for our small group debriefing time. As someone who likes being creative, I spent a whole afternoon creating a collage booklet that represented key moments in my story, covering the last few years of my time overseas as well as the rough transition to life back “home” in Canada.

During our small group debriefing, we took turns to share our stories uninterrupted, receive encouragement reflecting back what was heard, and be prayed over. I had never shared my story in such a way before. To have this safe space to share the joys and challenges of my
journey, to name and grieve the losses, to reflect on God’s faithfulness through it all – this was powerfully transformative. Though it was hard to confront the pain and disappointments I had been carrying for so long, I felt a deep sense of relief and lightness afterwards.

This was only one moment out of so many during that week where Jesus so faithfully walked with me. Taking this extended, intentional time to allow myself to pause, to feel, to grieve and to hope, was life-giving beyond measure. Though one retreat isn’t enough to bring full healing, RE-VIEW was definitely a significant step in my journey towards transformation.

On the last morning, I had the opportunity to share a song from my debut album, inspired by Isaiah 43:1-7. The song, “Fear Not, My Child,” speaks from God’s perspective, comforting his children when they walk through trials. So many times, through this song and Scripture, the Lord has met me along the journey, and he particularly did so through RE-VIEW.

I came out of that week with renewed strength and hope, having named and articulated the hard things of re-entry, and having greater confidence to embrace this current season God has given me here in Canada.

Even when walking through the waters of transition and the fire of uncertainty, Jesus invites us:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.” He is doing a new, beautiful thing.

RE-VIEW East and RE-VIEW West provide repatriating or on home service Cross-Cultural Workers with debriefing, reflection and further resourcing across Canada. Together with MissionPREP, we serve singles, couples and families, including children up to 16 years old.

RE-VIEW East July 27- August 1, 2025 and RE-VIEW West November 16-21, 2025.

Visit more.outreach.ca/review for more info and registration details.

Sharon Patire, (guest blogger)

Sharon has been serving as the Mobilization Coordinator at the Missions Hub since June 2022. Before that, she spent 7 years in the Middle East doing her undergraduate studies and serving in a local campus ministry. She's so thankful to the Lord for her time overseas, as this experience has profoundly shaped her view of ministry, missions, and her own walk with Jesus. She loves how God is using her in her current role as she disciples and mobilizes young leaders to serve in God's global mission.