Q: What does day to day life look like on the field? What is a typical day for a missionary?
A: Read missionary blogs.
Answer from John McVay, who has served AskAMissionary as a mobilizer for 10 years.
While there is probably no "typical day," you can get some ideas from reading missionary blogs.
For a current list visit
askamissionary.com/blogs.php.A: Life as a missionary has routines, too.
Answer from Steve in Scotland, who has served with BCM International for 18 years.
Life as a missionary can often mirror life in the secular world. It will probably consist of routines. There will be set things that have to be done each day and then some other stuff that is "added on" or pops up during the day or week. It is true that some missionaries never know what will happen next, but that’s not the normal pattern. There may be things like language study and cultural orientation in the first years and then the regular work schedule kicks in.
For me, a "typical" day consists of getting up at about 7am. Quiet time. Breakfast. Get the kids ready and off to school. Study for the coming ministry. Off to ministry. Lunch. Ministry. Collect kids from school and make dinner. Dinner. Study for ministry. Ministry. Put kids to bed. Bible study with my wife. Off to bed at about 10pm.
A: Routine
Answer from Kelly in Ukraine, who has served with ICCL in Ukraine, Kenya for 7 years.
Disclaimer: The following answer has not been reviewed or edited.
Missions life can be very routine. It all depends on your organization and the goals to be accomplished.
While your week may be pretty scheduled, and weekly meetings may be scheduled, you may have random weekend events to attend.
A: Rev. Marty Nogues
Answer from Rev. Marty in 03243, who has served with Founder and CEO of Shekinah Inteernational Mission in Central America and Canada (Arctic Circle) for 9+ years.
Disclaimer: The following answer has not been reviewed or edited.
A typical day for us is, up at 5:00AM for prayer, then Bible study, followed by family devotion and breakfast. After the youth go to school we go into the community to visit with the local families and help meet whatever needs we can both spiritual and physical. We visit the hospitals, prisons and various other facilities usually once during the week. Most nights there is a service in the Latin American countries. We close the day in prayer and reflection of what God has done in our lives. Your day will be what you want to make it in the Lord. Humans like routines and once you find the one that fits you on the mission field perform it with all you might.
A: Hard Question to answer
Answer from Steven in Argentina, who has served with Congregational Holiness Church in Latin America for 1 year full time/ 6 part time missions years.
Disclaimer: The following answer has not been reviewed or edited.
This is a really hard question to answer, because everyday is different and every location is very different. My advice would be for you to find someone who does the same type ministry as you feel that the Lord is calling you to do, and they will be able to tell you a little bit about about day to day life. Like I said though it will still be very different.
A: Day to day life?
Answer from David who has served in Honduras for 9 years.
In MANY ways, life is simpler here, because I do not TRY to live like at home. (If you do THAT, you will be VERY dissatisfied.)
Use local, indigenous help for the tasks that are most onerous to you, that take a LOT of your emotional / physical energy. Locals help me "all the time."
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