Thanks, moms! You taught your missionaries well
Being the mom of a missionary is no small thing. You raise up your precious darlings, and then they move far, far away. Face-to-face time becomes limited; grandchildren get to know you via Skype.
We honor the sacrifices you’re making, moms of missionaries. Please know that your support, encouragement, prayers, flexibility, and creativity are great gifts to our missionaries (your kids!) on the field. Thank you for raising such amazing people!
Here are some of the lessons you taught that they are using every day as they engage the lost:
— Martina in Russia
“Take your vitamins and put on the armor of God daily. We are in a battle!”
— A missionary serving among two unreached Muslim people groups
“My mom was in no way the sweet little Christian homemaker. She was bold, strong, and vivacious. Her mom was the first lady in her hometown to ever divorce. This was in the 1930s. There were people that wouldn’t let their children play with her because of this. Of course, this made an impact on her! She treated everyone she met with dignity, kindness, and respect. In her own way, she believed that everyone has a story, and encouraged people to share their stories with her. And she listened to their stories and always gave advice (whether asked for or not ). But everyone knew she cared, and at her funeral there was standing room only.”
— Joan Killingsworth, future missionary to Slovenia
“‘We go to church on Sunday morning,’ was my mom’s mentality. That has helped me to go to church on days that I did not want to go. (Yes, there have been those days!)”
— Jayne Russell in Ukraine
“My mom taught me to always be willing to try new things. My parents moved to the mission field for the first time when they were in their 50s. They continue to have a ‘let’s do it’ attitude, willing to travel all over the world to see family or to use their gifts and abilities to serve others.”
— Amy Walters, SEND US
“My mom taught me, ‘Sometimes you pay for convenience,’ and ‘Your time also has a price tag.’ I feel like this applies so much more now that I have children!”
— Maryah Woerner in Japan
“My mom was a great model of what it means to be faithful and industrious at home, at work, and in the church. She worked part-time as a nurse while raising three kids and maintaining our home and went back to college to get her bachelor’s degree while we were in middle school and high school. She served in and often led children’s ministries in our church while supporting my dad’s service as a deacon and elder. I am still amazed at how she was able to do so much! Things I learned from her that have helped me on the mission field include hospitality, frugality, and an interest in other places and people.”
— Beckie in Russia
“When I was a kid, I got pneumonia on December 25. Rather than moan and groan about how the day was ruined, my mom rescheduled Christmas. We had a TON of holiday traditions growing up, but they didn’t have to be tied to a particular day. Celebrating with loved ones was the ultimate priority. This came in particularly handy overseas when my children, who went to national school, had classes on December 25. Or when we wanted to celebrate a birthday with friends who would be out of the country on the actual birth date — no big deal, just move that party up a month!”
— Josie in Ukraine. Her mom, Jane Miller, is pictured reading to her MK grandsons at the top of this article.
“Never run out of toilet paper.”
— Beth, Taiwan
We appreciate the sacrifices that families make when their loved ones serve as missionaries. Prayer can help bridge the gap.
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Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
