What Nobody Tells You About Being a Missionary Wife

I remember sitting in a small, concrete block church building in Ghana, the heat thick and still, listening to my wife Laura teach a group of women. She wasn’t preaching from the pulpit, not in the way I do. Instead, she was on the floor with them, showing them how to read their Bibles, how to pray for their families, how to live out their faith. It was a powerful reminder of what it means to be a missionary wife, a calling that often moves in quiet strength, but is no less mighty for the Kingdom.

The role of a missionary wife is not always the one you see on the platform. It’s often behind the scenes, yet it is absolutely central to the work. When we talk about church planting in West Africa, about reaching souls for Christ, we’re not just talking about the man who stands up to preach. We’re talking about the woman who stands with him, day in and day out, building, serving, and sacrificing.

The Unspoken Call of a Missionary Wife

Before we came to Ghana, I had a pretty clear picture of my own call. Preach the Gospel. Plant churches. That was the directive. But Laura’s call, while just as clear to her, was different in its expression. It was a call to partnership, a call to create a home that served as a refuge and a ministry hub, a call to love people through actions that sometimes felt small but carried eternal weight.

We see this principle in the Bible, too. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, spoke of those who labored with him. He said, “I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3). It shows that the work of women, though sometimes different in form, is just as vital to the spread of the Gospel. They are fellowlabourers, with their names written in the book of life.

My wife, Laura, embodies this. She’s not just “my wife.” She’s a full partner in this ministry, facing the same challenges, enduring the same hardships, and rejoicing in the same victories. Without her, this work would not only be harder; it would be incomplete. She has a burden for the people here that is deeply personal, often expressed in ways I wouldn’t even think of.

Building a Home in a Foreign Land

Setting up a home in Ghana presents its own unique set of challenges. Back in the States, if your refrigerator breaks, you call a repairman. Here, you might wait days for someone to come, only for them to tell you the part isn’t available. Then you learn to make do, or you learn to fix it yourself, or you find a friend who knows a guy who knows a guy. Laura has navigated all of that with grace and a surprising amount of ingenuity.

Our first kitchen here was just a concrete slab with a two-burner stove. No oven. No running water inside. She learned to cook over charcoal, to make meals stretch, to adapt American recipes to Ghanaian ingredients. That’s not a small thing when you’re raising a family and constantly having guests. Her ability to make our house a home, despite the limitations, has been a constant source of stability for our family and a welcoming haven for so many others.

We’ve hosted countless visitors, from fellow missionaries passing through to local church members needing a safe place to talk and pray. That home, built by Laura’s hands and heart, becomes a ministry itself. It’s where relationships deepen, where trust is built, and where the gospel can be shared in a personal, unhurried way. If you want to learn more about the kind of work we do and how our whole family is involved, you can always check out our main page about Missionary on Fire.

The Heart of Hospitality and Discipleship

Laura’s ministry often centers around hospitality. In Ghanaian culture, sharing food and fellowship is central to building relationships. She has spent years learning local customs, navigating language barriers, and building genuine friendships with the women and children here. She hosts Bible studies, teaches basic hygiene, and simply listens. Sometimes, listening is the most powerful ministry of all.

She’s taught countless women how to read their Bibles, how to pray, and how to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. These are the kinds of lessons that transform families and communities from the inside out. The impact of a missionary wife’s dedicated, relational ministry is profound and far-reaching.

“Globally, women comprise 67% of the total missionary force, serving in various capacities from evangelism and discipleship to education and medical care.”
International Mission Board

It’s not always easy. There are days when the cultural differences feel overwhelming, or when the sicknesses that sweep through a village threaten our own children. But she perseveres. She chooses to love, even when it’s hard. She chooses to serve, even when she’s tired. Her commitment to the people here is a testimony to God’s love, lived out in practical, everyday ways. We’ve seen so many lives changed because of her consistent, quiet work.

Standing Strong Through the Storms

The mission field is not for the faint of heart. It tests you in ways you never expected. For a missionary wife, this can mean extended periods of loneliness when her husband is traveling, dealing with sick children without access to modern medical care, or simply missing her family back home. There are spiritual battles, too, as the enemy tries to discourage and defeat those who are bringing light into darkness.

I remember one time when I was away on a preaching trip, and our youngest got a bad fever. Laura was alone with all the kids, miles from the nearest doctor, and the power had gone out. She called me, calm as could be, just asking for prayer. She handled it. She always does. Her faith isn’t just a Sunday morning thing; it’s a deep, abiding trust in God that carries her through the toughest moments.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:13, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Laura understands this. She puts on that armour every single day. She prays. She reads her Bible. She leans on the Lord. Her resilience is not born of stubbornness, but of an absolute reliance on Christ. We’ve been through a lot together, and her strength in the Lord has always seen us through.

A Partner in Preaching and Prayer

While I’m often the one standing in front of people, preaching sermons, Laura is a constant partner in prayer and spiritual counsel. We pray together for the people we serve, for the decisions we need to make, and for God’s protection over our family and ministry. Her insights into people and situations are invaluable. She sees things I miss, and she often has a spiritual discernment that cuts right to the heart of the matter.

Her direct ministry extends beyond the home too. She leads women’s meetings, teaches Sunday school classes, and counsels young ladies in the church. She’s not just supporting my ministry; she has her own distinct and powerful ministry that complements mine perfectly. It’s a team effort, and she’s an indispensable player. If you’ve ever heard one of my sermons or read my books, you can be sure that Laura’s prayers and wisdom were a foundational part of it.

The church here in Ghana, and indeed all the churches we’ve helped plant, are stronger because of the faithful work of missionary wives like Laura. They are the backbone of the community, fostering discipleship, demonstrating Christ-like love, and building spiritual families. It’s a privilege to serve alongside her, and to see God use her in such mighty ways.

The role of a missionary wife is not a supporting role in the traditional sense; it’s a co-laboring role. It’s a calling that requires immense faith, resilience, and a deep love for God and for people. Laura, like so many other missionary wives we know, lives out this call every single day, making sacrifices that go largely unseen but are eternally significant. Her work, her life, and her dedication are truly inspirational, and they are a vital part of what makes our mission here in Ghana possible. We invite you to learn more about the broader mission and how you can be a part of it by visiting our Missionary on Fire page.

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