“I’m going to be single until I die!” Kayla lamented.
She said it several times on our journey to the field, where she would be our homeschool teacher for a few years. She had put her teaching career on hold to serve with us overseas.
Kayla was passionate about missions. But she knew that pursuing missions could mean staying single. The high ration of women to men on the field meant her chances of getting married were slimmer than if she had stayed in the US.
In spite of this, she still went. The first year was hard for her. She lived with us, and sometimes I’d hear her crying in her room.
Being a single worker is hard. The challenges of living in another country are compounded when you feel like you are fighting the battle alone.
That’s where supporters can make a huge difference. You can help make life for single workers a bit easier. Here’s what some single workers say would be helpful:
“More emails. It’s nice when you know people are thinking of you and praying for your work. Unexpected emails are such an encouragement!”
“I love it when people comment on my blog or respond to newsletters. It lets me know people are paying attention to what I am doing.”
“Are my supporters even aware of the challenges of being a single woman in the Muslim world? I wish they would just ask me about it. It’d help validate that the challenges are real and not just in my head.”
See a consistent theme? Communication. There’s something powerful about even the simplest communication. It helps people feel a little less alone.
Write a few short emails to your single workers today. You don’t need to give your life story or a synopsis of the last year of your life. Just let them know you are thinking of them and praying for them. Then make sure you do just that—pray for them.