The Missionary Mama’s Survival Guide: Compassionate Help for the Mothers of Cross-Cultural Workers
By Tori R. Haverkamp
When a child is called to serve as a missionary, it can leave a parent feeling disoriented, emotionally unprepared, and spiritually unsettled. The Missionary Mama’s Survival Guide offers a thoughtful and compassionate response to this unique journey. Framed around the metaphor of navigating a wilderness, the guide addresses the fears, questions, and emotional challenges parents often face—ranging from confusion about God's mission to the deep ache of physical and emotional distance from a beloved child.
Designed as a practical and encouraging resource, this concise guide equips mothers with a deeper understanding of God's global purpose, helps them affirm their child’s calling, and invites them into a new identity as a “Stayer”—a vital yet often overlooked role in the mission of God.
Through gentle wisdom and honest reflection, The Missionary Mama’s Survival Guide helps readers exchange guilt, fear, and isolation for peace, perspective, and purpose. It is both an invitation and a reminder: though unseen by many, the sacrifices of missionary parents are deeply valued by the One who sends. This is a sacred calling of its own.
Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lifesaving comfort and guidance for this mom and grandma
“If you’re reading this review it’s likely your life is about to change dramatically. When I found out my daughter and her husband had been called across the ocean to serve in the missions field I felt enormous pain, for many reasons. (Not only would I be saying so long to them, I would be kissing my precious grandchildren goodbye as well.)
I felt lost and very alone. Who could possibly understand the sense of loss that I was experiencing? How would I manage life without them? I was paralyzed by my emotions, I needed help.
The Missionary Mama Survival guide was the help I so desperately needed. The author was raw and real as she told her own story of loss and fear. Within these pages she laid out a roadmap of actionable steps, and that gave me direction. I was looking for comfort from someone who has walked this road. I was looking for ideas that would make this long distance manageable. Inside these pages I found comfort, and inspiration. So mama, (or grandma) if you’re getting ready to send off a missionary, or even if your missionary is already in the field, you need to know you're not alone. I highly recommend you take the time to soak in the ideas and comfort found inside this survival guide!!” —OurFamily
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A survival guide for missionary mamas and mamas in general
“I would highly recommend this read for families whose children are Goers/Missionaries. But I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged that the guiding principles could be applied to any of us with adult children. This is a much needed read; guiding us moms to embrace, support and love our children as they establish their own lives apart from us. So if your grown child is leaving for a distant land far away, pick this up, read and apply! But if your adult child is settling in the same city, state or continent, this book will also encourage you in this new season of life. Tori rightly reminds us that our children are God's kids doing His work.” —Machelle Clark
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Helpful wisdom
“If you have children serving in far away places, this book will help guide you. My adult children are currently nearby, but I found all kinds of ways to apply Tori’s wisdom to my life as I loosen the reins and trust that they are God’s first.” —HP