Hidden Challenges Women Face in Missions
Questions always make me a bit uneasy. As a pediatrician and a missionary, I never know what might be coming next when I hear someone ask: “What do you think about…?”
I might be asked to diagnose a child’s quirky new habit, explain the significance of Saul’s encounter with the witch of Endor, or simply share how things are going for me that particular day.
And I don’t think I’m alone. I suspect that many women on the mission field share a certain dread of questions.
Family and friends in our home countries may ask when we’ll visit again or if we’re aware of a difficult situation that a loved one is facing. We begin to doubt whether we’re being attentive enough to our extended families.
And let’s not forget all the questions whirling around in our own heads: Are the kids well-adjusted to life here? Did I read that social cue at the market correctly yesterday? Am I using my education and gifts in a way that best honors the Lord?
Struggles with feelings of inadequacy are real for women on the field. We’ve said goodbye to the comforts of familiarity, but we haven’t left our insecurities far behind.
In fact, I’d argue that they’re heightened by the countless little pressures of life in a different culture. So what should we do with those worries? And how can sending churches help?
SURRENDER YOUR WORRIES TO THE LORD
In 1 Peter 5:6–7, we read: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
These verses teach us humility involves surrendering one’s worries to the Lord. Is pride (or perhaps a desire to be the invincible missionary) keeping my anxieties under wraps, or are they truly being mitigated by the loving care of a good God?
In verses 8–9, we learn that we are not alone: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
The bad news is that the devil may very well be in the details of our anxieties. But the good news is that spiritual warfare isn’t tackled in isolation. We face that raging lion named Satan together with brothers and sisters around the globe. And that’s where the local church back home comes in.
HOW CHURCHES CAN HELP WOMEN ON THE FIELD
- Stay in touch! A quick WhatsApp message goes a long way. In certain contexts, a more secure platform might be necessary, but as you’re able, keep it going! It may be wise to designate certain members to routinely check in with your missionaries, but don’t underestimate the positive effect of spontaneous conversation as well.
- Avoid playing twenty questions with your sisters on the field. I know they’re sometimes unavoidable, but don’t lead with or restrict your communication to a repetitive series of questions about ministry-related tasks. Instead, tell us about other families in the church. We want to hear about how you are doing and how we can pray for you too. It won’t overload or overburden us but rather help us know we’re not alone in the fight.
- Remember that common struggles are common struggles. Ministry context may add a layer of nuance, but the sisters sent out from your church are likely dealing with many of the same insecurities shared by other women in their same age and stage of life back home. We’re certainly not too spiritual to benefit from the counsel that others are receiving.
Perhaps that all seems too simple, too small even. But gospel ministry isn’t about the big and the flashy. It’s about lots of seemingly insignificant, yet faithful, acts bringing glory to God.
So stay at it, one encouraging comment at a time. And somewhere along the way, you just might be able to sneak in a few good, thought-provoking questions. Those shouldn’t make us too uneasy.
