Granted, all their experiences are not as exciting as Elijah's encounter with the prophets of Baal, but serving as a missionary can be a stressful experience. Learning the language and customs of a new people, dealing with government regulations, making sure financial needs are being met in economies that can shift on a moment's notice, watching out for the welfare of children these and other issues take their toll. And this is aside from direct concerns related to the mission itself. Research suggests that a trio of factors combine to determine the degree to which stress affects families. One factor is the stressor itself.
Some events are stressful due to their immediate impact.
Dealing with serious illness in a third world country, for example, can be a crisis-provoking incident. In other cases the accumulation of smaller hassles can also bring about a high level of stress. The other two factors, however, soften the effects of these stressors. One is the resources a family has at its disposal. These may be financial, social, or spiritual in nature but they help a family fight back.