How long will the process take?
Good question! In this day of online orders and next day delivery, the four-six weeks it takes from the time we receive your application to the time we receive your placement confirmation from the field can seem like forever.
Why does it take so long?
After receiving your application, we'll be in touch by telephone or email. We want to hear you passion for ministry and will look with you for ways to connect your passion to what God is doing in the places we serve. SIM is a field-driven agency, which means all of our placements are based on personnel requests from the receiving offices. The field has the final say on placements, which makes sense, because they know what housing is available, who is around to oversee you in ministry, and so on. SIM has nine sending offices trying to match people with each field's requests, so we must confirm with the field receiving office that no one else is in the pipeline for the particular ministry you've expressed interested in. This takes time because most of our receiving offices are in less technologically friendly places.
Candidate Review Committee
Before we're able to send off the official placement paperwork, a small committee from the Selection and Training Department will review your application and all the reference information gathered in order to accept you into the program. We'll be able to finalize your placement and create your cost estimate once you are accepted into the program. IRS laws prevent us from being able to receipt gifts given toward your support until your placement is confirmed.
Placement
We will follow up the earlier, more general field queries as soon as possible after you have been approved. Some of the placement variables include your specific ministry ability and interests, the timing of your availability, and housing on the field.
Cost Estimate
As soon as your placement is confirmed we'll send you your cost estimate. Since each placement is unique to the individual, specific costs are different.
Pre-field Preparation
You'll receive a packet outlining the practical things you'll need to do before you go. For example, we'll you which immunizations you'll need, how to secure you plane tickets, passport, visa, how to write newsletters, what you can or cannot be reimbursed for, etc.
Services
We provide you with a wide assortment of services such as setting up your itinerary, purchasing your tickets, obtaining your visas, etc.
Orientation
SIM USA provides pre-field orientation 6 times a year.
The most economical plan is for you to come to our Charlotte headquarters and then leave for the field from here.
Debrief
Not only will you have an end-of-term debrief on the field, you'll also have one here at headquarters upon your return. This enables you to see our medical staff upon re-entry and begin getting over jet lag before going home.
Alumni
Sometime after you've concluded your assignment with SIM our Alumni Coordinator will check in with you to see how re-entry is going and hear about the new things God is doing in your life.
