After the Visit

AFTER THE VISIT

A visit or exchange should never be held in a vacuum, but should be the beginning of an on-going friendship.

It is normal for a group to hold a re-union after an overseas visit, to share photographs, souvenirs and news, to produce a magazine of the visit, and to decide how to keep in touch with the hosts. Sometimes a group may need to plan the return visit of the host group to their country. The return hospitality of those who have been on an overseas visit is essential to the creativity of the exchanges.

Groups normally prepare a presentation for the annual Christians Aware conference during the re-union. The conference is usually on the first weekend in January.

Reading and research may also be more creative after a visit than before it, and help may be given to members of a group during a re-union.

Sometimes a group may decide to form a Special Issue Christians Aware Group after a visit to another country. Many such groups have been formed, including the Sri Lanka group and the Caribbean Issues Group. It is normal for these groups to include people from the countries concerned who are living in Britain.

The magazine of a visit is important not only as a memento for the group, but as a resource for future visits, and as a way of sharing the visit with others in the local church and community, and in the wider Christians Aware membership.

The following reports of visits by Christians Aware members are examples of a creative way of presenting overseas experiences.

The creative use of slides, tapes and video should be considered by groups.