How to Avoid Burnout and Thrive on the Mission Field

Deb Wyss • Jun 05, 2017

I had been on the mission field for 10 months. I was holed up in one of the few less-than-desirable guest houses in a remote East Asian mountain town.

I was relentlessly vomiting from food poisoning, and there was only one public outhouse for all of the guests’ bathroom needs. There was no running water. And I could hear the rats scurrying in the walls.

I was miserable.

I remembered the romantic visions that filled my head as I prepared to go to the mission field. The excitement that bubbled out of me at the mention of this faraway place with exotic people and gorgeous landscapes. The physical burden my heart and body carried for these lost ones to know the one true God.

Those things had carried me for a while. But the beauty of it all was fading, and fading fast. I was tired.

How was I going to make it for the long haul?

When I was well enough, I stumbled out to the grasslands to get some fresh air.

thrive on the mission field

I quickly realized that the mission field of my dreams wasn’t my reality. I had to reframe my thinking and adopt new practices if I was going to thrive overseas. Photo courtesy of Deb Wyss


The massive snow mountains exploded out from the lush, rolling green hills, and horses decked in colorful ribbons dotted the pastures filled with wild flowers. I was living my dream. But I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be.

I rested my weary head in my hands and cried.

And then.

His sweet whisper. “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.”

He endured.

That’s what I needed to hear in that moment because that’s all I was doing at that moment: enduring . And Jesus had moments like that as well.

And just a few days after my very low, low, I had some wonderful highs.

I joined a group of four villagers herding yaks for the day. I sincerely enjoyed the company. Making real connections for the sake of the Gospel as we cooked over an open flame at the mouth of a cave. Belting out hymns on a plateau that had never had the name of Christ spoken there before.

thrive on the mission field

God used an outing with locals to reenergize me when I needed it most. Photo courtesy of Deb Wyss


There was nowhere else in the world I would have rather been at that moment. It was a gift that carried me through that low period.

Over the next seven years, I experienced it all. Periods of balance in life. Periods of extreme fatigue, completely worn out and broken. Periods of floundering. And periods of thriving.

So, how do we keep ourselves healthy when serving overseas? What are some practical things we can do to thrive on the mission field?

1. Set goals.

Often on the mission field, there is no boss delegating tasks and no one following up on your work.

A specific plan is vital. Set measurable goals, and work toward them.

Keep a short list of prayer requests that reflect your goals somewhere you will see daily. Pray until you can cross your goal off the list. (For example: Make five new, local friends.)

2. Have a routine.

This may sound ridiculous to anyone who has spent time on the mission field. (An enduring joke is the only thing certain in missions is that nothing is certain.)

But spending time, day after day coming up with ideas and plans about how to order your day without a concrete schedule is exhausting. For anyone.

Ordering your weeks gives rhythm and routine to life , which generally makes people feel like they can manage better and also is almost always more productive.

3. Reflect. Regularly.

Every six months, sit down and write a list of all of the things you’ve seen God do.

In the day-to-day, it’s hard to see progress. But when you take a chunk of time and look back, you will be encouraged. It will bolster your faith. It will push you to keep walking forward.

4. Have someone in it with you.

Having someone who gets your situation, you enjoy talking to and who cares about the outcome of your ministry as much as you do is so helpful. Without this, you will wear down more quickly.

For married couples, this often turns out to be your spouse, and that’s great. Be intentional about debriefing the nitty-gritty of ministry life with each other, but don’t vent.

For single missionaries , the most important thing to look for is someone who wants to listen to you talk about details. It may be a teammate, but it may be someone back home with whom you have regular Skype calls.

One of my most helpful relationships was with a woman from another country who was 30 years older than I was. Although she had never met a single one of my contacts, she kept a binder with all of their pictures and wrote notes about each one of them on their respective pages.

5. If you’re tired often, pay attention.

You are probably not in a healthy place. Figure out why, and make changes.

Fatigue often comes from having too many irons in the fire. Consciously make a decision to decrease your activities for a while. Have a second party help you if you feel like you don’t know how. Inability to make decisions is a big red flag that something is not right.

Often, simple things like eating right, exercising and getting good sleep can make you feel better quickly. Don’t neglect your physical health.

If you are dealing with weighty issues, make sure that you have someone outside the situation that you can talk with.

6. Take up a hobby.

It’s best if this hobby is something you can do in the community with locals. But, more importantly, it must be something you genuinely enjoy. It may be basketball at local university courts, or it may be an art class.

Being you rather than the role you are given in ministry is beneficial for not only yourself but also for those you have come to serve.

Pursuing a hobby gives you a moment to let your guard down.

It’s a chance for them to just enjoy the person God created you to be, without placing expectations on yourself.

A hobby will grow your love for the place and the people. If you find it hard to engage in activities the locals enjoy, daily life can become a drag very quickly.

7. Remember that you are a foreigner.

As much as you strive to fit in with the local culture, you cannot become them. You are different. They know it. And it’s ok!

You’re going to need time to practice familiar traditions. For me, that meant “American” pizza and movie nights. A holiday celebration without locals. Or a cup of coffee and a light novel.

8. Take time off to rest.

If possible, leave the country to do this. Leaving will refresh you in a deeper way. It will give you perspective. It will fuel you for the long haul.

If it’s not possible to leave the country, create a tradition of “getting away” in-country. Make it a yearly practice, something you look forward to. Head to another city where no one knows you. Go exploring, hunker down in your hotel room, eat some yummy food. Whatever sounds relaxing to you.

If traveling can’t happen, block off a week on your calendar to rest as best you can. Don’t do any of your normal activities. Make a plan for how you want to rest, so that you don’t spend your week wondering what to do with yourself!

9. Practice thankfulness.

Missionaries have an easy slide into complaining. The weather, the dirt, the food, the harsh life. The more you talk about it, the worse it feels.

Instead, be thankful. Write down something you’re thankful for every day, or make it a practice to share a grateful thought at dinner. Be conscious about not grumbling.

10. Remember your job description.

Your job is to speak truth. Only God can change hearts. Sow seeds. Water. Trust God for the increase in His timing and His way. Relax into His plans and purposes.

May the joy of the Lord be your strength as you carry on!

By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
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