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When my husband and I set off for language study in Costa Rica 23 years ago, we had a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and a four-month-old infant. Back then singles or couples commonly started missionary service soon after completing university studies. Our colleagues in both candidate and language classes were mostly just like us—twenty-somethings with small children or no children.

Fast-forward to 2004 for a snapshot of the shifting missionary family profile. Of the last four couples I’ve interviewed for pre-field placement with TEAM, two have been childless newlyweds. The other two, however, have school-age children. Today, besides “traditional” recent college-grad twenty-somethings, we’re seeing couples with older children sensing God’s call to overseas ministry. Sometimes the parents have had other careers. In other cases, people are completing more education and gaining further ministry experience before heading overseas.

With the blessing of life-experienced, more mature workers, mission agencies and churches face new challenges for screening these potential missionary families. Traditional application and screening processes focus on the adults’ call, theology, education, and physical and mental health. But children’s screening often stops with their physical health. However, as more families take older children overseas, we cannot ignore children’s attitudes and readiness for overseas living.

Consider Jon and Rachel, a fictitious couple based on reality. They hope to help plant churches in the former Soviet Union. After years of preparing in seminary studies and working in an inner-city American church plant, they feel ready to go overseas.

Meghan, their 14-year-old daughter, is not. She just started high school and doesn’t want to leave her friends. Meghan is passionate about volleyball, and her coach thinks she could make the varsity team next year. She also can’t bear the thought of leaving her boyfriend, Kyle.

Twelve-year-old Ruth isn’t sure about this missionary thing, either. A sixth-grader, she likes her middle school and is especially excited about making the basketball team next year. Ruth has many friends and enjoys youth activities at church and school.

Nathan, nine, is a sweet boy who struggles with academics. His parents have wondered if he might have a learning disability, and he will probably be tested by his school district this year. His sport is baseball, and he’s a huge Cubs fan.

A screening process that looks at the whole family would hopefully discover Meghan’s negative feelings and Ruth’s uncertainty about going overseas. If Meghan is honest, the agency would also learn that Kyle is significant to her. While these concerns wouldn’t necessarily prevent the family from overseas missions, they should be explored further with the girls and their parents.

Schooling choices are also a concern. If testing reveals that Nathan has a learning disability, the family will need resources to help him. The girls may adjust better if they attend a school (instead of home schooling), given their strong interests in friends and sports. Since experts in second-language issues do not recommend submersion into a second language school after age 11, national schools are not likely the girls’ best option. Since Nathan already struggles with academics, his adjustment would probably be difficult as well. All of these educational factors need to be considered before the family is assigned to a specific location.

What should churches and sending agencies do? In a nutshell, they must employ policies and practices that evaluate each family member’s health and readiness for life abroad.

Middle-school and older students could complete a life history form that describes their interests, goals, relationships and feelings about moving overseas. TEAM’s teen life history form lists specific behaviors that might be problematic overseas or indicative of rebellion, and asks students to respond honestly about each area. Sending churches or agencies can also seek references for school-age children from youth pastors or Sunday school teachers, depending on the child’s age.

Appropriate mission agency staffers need to talk with both children and their parents to assess how well a family is equipped for overseas living. Particularly if yellow or red flags appear in the children’s life histories or reference forms, someone needs to follow up. Festering problems can only be exacerbated by an international move.

Agencies need to discuss their educational philosophy and policies with candidates. Together, agency and family should ensure an appropriate fit, especially when children have special educational needs. (For more on such needs, see World Pulse, April 25, 2003, “When Johnny and Sally Can’t Read.”)

Agencies and churches need to consider children and adults when reviewing applicants for cross-cultural ministry. The process will help families like Jon, Rachel and their children be more effective in cross-cultural ministry, and may even prevent their premature return to the homeland. Most of all, it expresses Christian love and care for all members of the family.

Karen Wrobbel is assistant professor of education at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois.