A recent communication from Dorothy Hazard (of SIM Kenya) reminded me of a practice that SIM Ecuador utilized a number of years ago as well. I thought it would be a good idea to pass on. A “Big Sibling” is an Associate who has been in Kenya for two months or more. There are so many pluses in establishing a pattern like this if your field receives a reasonable number of Associates:

Their role is to provide peer-to-peer mentoring and needed information such as shopping, what to do with garbage, etc. The “Big Sibling” will communicate with the new SIMPacter before they arrive, answering questions related to specific packing and ministry. They then will go with [the SIMPact Field Officer] to meet them at the airport (when possible), talk with their “Little Sibling” daily the first week, and be someone they can go to for day-to-day questions during their first weeks.

Many of the tasks that I do are repetitive ones that others can do. The system to do so is set up and able to be carried out by others. Starting in January 2008, I started utilizing the tremendous computer skills and willing hearts that SIMPacters have, which doesn’t just reduce the work load for me, but it also involves SIMPacters in the whole process.