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Missionary Marriage Issues
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Missionary Marriage Issues:
This is no Honeymoon!
Dr. Ronald Koteskey
 Even though agencies try to create realistic expectations during orientation,
some missionary candidates think that their missionary service will be like a
wonderful “honeymoon.” Though that may be the case for a short time, reality
soon sets in.
When Dorothy Carey set sail for India, she was under no such illusion. As shown
in the first brochure, she did not want to go. Unfortunately, reality was as bad
as she thought it would be (or worse). She was on a ship for five months without
stopping at a single port. During the first year on the field she had dysentery
most of the time, and she lived four different places, at times with another
family. She lived with the constant threat of malaria and attack by tigers. Her
sister, who had promised to help her, left to get married. Near the end of the
year, her five-year-old son died. Surely she would have said, “This is no
honeymoon!”
Fortunately, most people do not have such a difficult time. We may ask questions
such as: Is there a honeymoon period in missions? Will becoming missionaries
have an effect on our marriage? If both bride and groom want to be missionaries,
wouldn’t it be good to spend the early years of their married life on the field?
Does having children when beginning mission work have an effect on our marriage?
Do men and women react differently?
Honeymoon Stage
During the early days or months of living in another culture, while still in
“vacation mode,” a person experiences interest, fascination, joy, and enthusiasm
living in another culture. This may last for days, weeks, or even months.
However, when the inevitable difficulties with language, people, housing, and
food arise, people may become critical, frustrated, resentful, and angry. Simple
tasks become daunting challenges, and disillusionment sets in. This
post-honeymoon time is very hard on marriage relationships, resulting in lower
satisfaction in marriages.
Though thousands of missionaries have experienced this over the last couple of
centuries, it was not until the end of the twentieth century that Christopher
Rosik at Link Care studied this change in marital satisfaction systematically.
Over a twenty year period he gave couples the Marital Satisfaction Inventory
(MSI) three times:
- First, while they were candidates (before serving as missionaries),
- Second, four years later, after their first term of service in another
culture,
- Third, an additional four years later, after their second term of service.
He analyzed the data comparing gender, length marriage, and ages of children (if
they had any). The MSI has a measure of overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction
with the marriage. Rosik found that satisfaction with their marriage declined
significantly during the four years between the first and second times they took
the test (during the first term), and it remained lower four years later the
third time (during their second term).
Just Married!
Of course, a similar phenomenon occurs in any marriage. During the early days or
months after the wedding, while still in the “honeymoon stage,” a person
experiences interest, fascination, joy, and enthusiasm for married life. This
may last for days, weeks, or even months.
However, when the inevitable difficulties from different expectations, different
backgrounds, and daily “drudgery” tasks of living arise, newly-weds may also
become critical, frustrated, resentful, and angry. Maintaining the relationship
may become a daunting challenge, and disillusionment may set in. This
post-honeymoon time may be hard on a marriage.
If a couple marries and leaves very soon to serve in another culture, the early
days may be wonderful. Then if the two “honeymoons” end simultaneously, the
following days may be dreadful. The couple may confuse cultural adjustments and
marriage adjustments. The resulting disillusionment may cause them to leave the
field, perhaps even the marriage. Even if they do not leave the marriage, their
marriage may be damaged.
Married, no children
In addition to the general overall measure of satisfaction, the MSI has nine
measures of satisfaction for specific areas of marriage. Rosik found the same
pattern of declining satisfaction during the first term of service and continued
lower satisfaction during the second term in three areas.
- Affective communication: The amount of affection and understanding expressed
by their spouse.
- Sexual dissatisfaction: The frequency and quality of intercourse and other
sexual activity.
- Role orientation: Traditional vs. nontraditional orientations toward marital
and parental gender roles.
That is, missionaries became more dissatisfied with the affection,
understanding, sexual activity, and roles they were expected to play during
their first term of service, and that dissatisfaction remained through their
second term.
A decade earlier Steve Sweatman studied first term missionaries, and he found
that they also experienced sexual dissatisfaction and dissatisfaction with
affective communication. He did not study role orientation.
Married, with children
Children in the home resulted in two additional specific problem areas.
- Conflict over child rearing: This was the conflict between spouses about child
rearing practices. Again, satisfaction declined during the first term and
continued lower during the second term.
- Dissatisfaction with children: This included both the relationship between the
spouses and children as well as parental concern with the emotional or
behavioral well-being of at least one child. This changed little over time for
those entering missions when they had been married for five or more years.
However, the dissatisfaction increased during both the first and second terms
for those married less than five years when they entered missionary service.
Gender differences
Wives and husbands had significantly different levels of dissatisfaction in
three areas.
- Problem solving communication: general ineffectiveness in resolving
differences. Wives more dissatisfied than husbands each time they took the MSI.
- Time together: the couple’s companionship during time shared in leisure
activity. Dissatisfaction for both husbands and wives increased significantly,
but it increased during the first term for the wives and during the second term
for husbands.
- Role orientation (defined above): Wives endorsed more traditional gender and
parental roles than their husbands each time they took the MSI.
In his study of first-term missionaries a decade earlier, Sweatman also found
the greatest area of dissatisfaction was with time together. In addition, he
found that that this dissatisfaction was significantly correlated with
depression. He did not check to see if there was a difference between husbands
and wives relative to the correlation with depression.
What can we do?
Serving as missionaries is often hard on marriages. After a brief honeymoon
period the pressures of work and the stress of living in another culture begin
to take their toll on marriage relationships. However, to be forewarned is to be
forearmed.
Since the first term of missionary service can be so difficult, it is a crucial
time to take action to protect and preserve marriage. The best general thing to
do is to make your marriage a high priority in your lives. Of course, you want
to serve others, but you must also care for yourself and your marriage.
Since both studies using the MSI pinpointed several specific areas where
missionaries are most likely to be dissatisfied in marriage, those areas are
good places to begin.
- Both studies noted that “time together” is a major problem. Begin by
scheduling at least two hours every week for “relationship time” as described in
the brochure on that topic. If you do not do so, you will probably grow further
and further apart regardless of how close you believe you are.
- Both studies noted problems in affective communication, and one noted a lack
in problem solving communication. Make it a priority to express your affection
and really understand your spouse. Also learn how to resolve your differences so
that they do not fester under the surface. Unexpressed and unresolved conflicts
tend to explode under stress.
- Both studies noted sexual dissatisfaction. Use your upgraded communication
skills to discuss your sexual frustrations. Unresolved conflicts in this area
may lead to illicit sexual activity, but this may be prevented by meeting each
other’s needs.
- Also use your communication skills to resolve conflicts about child rearing
practices. Parents who do not present a united front to their children often
wind up with divided families.
Finally, if possible, find a “mentor couple” about ten years ahead of you in
their marriage relationship and child rearing. Meet with them on a regular basis
to ask questions and listen to their suggestions.
For more specific information please see the article by Christopher Rosik and
Jelena Pandzic titled “Marital satisfaction among Christian missionaries: A
longitudinal analysis from candidacy to second furlough,” Journal of Psychology
and Christianity, 2008, Vol. 27, No. 1, 3-15.
Ronald Koteskey is
Member Care Consultant
GO International
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