Ambiguous Loss in Missionary Life, by guest poster, Nancy Mauger

This month we have a special treat from a dear friend. We have worked alongside of Nancy and her family since our earliest days on the field. She and her husband Paul provide member care for missionaries who go out from Latin America. It is from that vantage point that Nancy has published an article, in the April-June 2023 issue of Evangelical Missions Quarterly.

She writes:

Missionaries living away from their passport countries often experience a phenomenon known as ambiguous loss. This term, which developed in the 1970s, fits missionary life well. Global workers can experience a loss from leaving their passport nation, but it is still there. Then when they return, they can experience the same kind of loss related to their host nation, even though it is still there. This paradox can lead to immobilization and depression. It is critical that member care staff help missionaries identify this pain point so they can live with acceptance of the tension it creates.

All cross-cultural workers experience perceived loss. But what if there is hidden loss, which goes untreated because it is unnamable? I had never heard of “Ambiguous Loss”, but after seeing what Nancy wrote about it, of course, I now see it all around me!

I want you to read the article as it is originally presented and formatted. Please click and download the entire thing.

The article is used by permission from Missio Nexus, PO Box 398, Wheaton, IL 60187. Email: EMQ-Subscriptions@missionexus.org. Website: www.MissioNexus.org/EMQ.

“Ambiguous Loss in Missionary Life,” by guest poster, Nancy Mauger, missionary to Costa Rica with UWM