My Son Is a Missionary

A Single Photograph — A Mother Embracing Her Son on His Birthday

A single photograph — a mother embracing her son on his birthday.
A simple gesture, yet filled with meaning: longing, fear, and at the same time, the purest pride.
Pride in seeing a son leave the comfort of home to obey the voice of God, departing with courage, fully aware of what this obedience would cost — both to him and to those who love him.

To Pedro Viana and Matheus Viana, I dedicate this article and this Bible plan — and also to your parents, Fabi and Pastor Wilson, who have learned to live a faith that sends.

To access the plan (In Portuguese for now. The plan will be published in English soon.) , click this link:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/64379/

When the Call Is Not Yours — But Your Child’s

The Difficult Surrender of Parents of Young Missionaries

There comes a moment in the lives of some parents when the heart is deeply tested: the day a son or daughter arrives with shining eyes and says,
“God has called me to go.”

It may be to another country, to a needy mission field, or simply to a life of full dedication to ministry. For some parents, this sentence sounds like a divine gift; for others, like a dagger to the chest. After all, those who dreamed of safety, stability, and a “secure” future were not imagining jungles, deserts, or war-torn nations.

But the missionary calling — like the wind in John 3:8 — “blows where it wishes.” And often, that wind passes through our own homes, shaking our plans, our fears, and our sense of control.

The Call Is Personal, but the Sending Is Familial

When God called Abraham, the impact was not limited to him alone. Sarah, Lot, servants, possessions — all were affected.
The calling of a son or daughter is never isolated. God moves the entire household.

Parents who love God must understand that raising children for the Kingdom is, in many ways, preparing them to leave.
You are not losing your child. You are fulfilling the mission of having prepared them to obey God.

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.”
— Matthew 10:37 (NIV)

Jesus did not say this to cause pain, but to align priorities. Family love must exist — but never above obedience to Christ.

Parental Anxiety: When Fear Disguises Itself as Faith

Many spiritually mature parents find themselves wrestling inwardly:
“Is this really God?”
“What if he suffers?”
“What if he never comes back?”

These questions are human.
But they are also revealing: sometimes fear disguises itself as prudence.

The faith of parents of missionaries is not weaker — it is simply tested at a deeper level.
Mary experienced this when Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce her soul (Luke 2:35). She understood that giving birth to the Messiah also meant suffering as she watched Him fulfill His purpose.

Parents of missionaries, in a way, become participants in the sacrifice. And God sees it. He counts every tear, honors every renunciation, and visits every prayer whispered in the silence of the bedroom.

Holy Pride: When Heaven Applauds Your Surrender

While the world measures success by degrees, salaries, and stability, the Kingdom measures it by obedience.
And when a child obeys God, parents are granted the privilege of seeing eternity touch their own legacy.

Imagine Hannah giving Samuel to the temple.
She did not “lose” him — she sowed him.
And God rewarded her with more children and an eternal story.

“Who dares despise the day of small things?”
— Zechariah 4:10a (NIV)

Parents, do not despise the day of sending. It may seem small and frightening — a plane ticket, a backpack, a calling — but it is the beginning of something God Himself wrote before the foundation of the world.

How to Support a Missionary Child (Even When You Don’t Understand Everything)

• Pray more than you question.
  The Holy Spirit knows how to sustain what He began.

• Be a partner, not a critic.
  Encourage with love, even when your heart aches.

• Maintain constant communion.
  Messages, prayers, and care keep the bond alive.

• Testify about them.
  Speak with gratitude — inspire other parents.

• Trust the God who called them.
  The same God who guided Abraham, Joseph, Paul, and so many others does not make mistakes with the address of His calling.

Conclusion: When God Chooses Our Children

Parents, when God calls one of your children to the mission field, He is also calling you to a new level of faith.

You become co-authors of obedience.
Participants in an eternal legacy.
And even if you are not physically present, every prayer, every sacrifice, and every “go with God” echoes in Heaven.

Because, in the end, missions are not only about those who go — but also about those who send.

“Parents who surrender their children to the calling do not lose — they multiply the Kingdom.”