“Daddy, Why Am I Different?”: Existential Realities and Impact of Migration on Families of Reverse Missionaries of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in the Diaspora

This ethnographic study explores the struggles and challenges of missionary families (children, spouses and pastors) sent out on reverse missionary assignments. I explore the tensions that such relocation brings to bear on families, their experiences of identity, dislocation, and the challenges between maintaining cultural heritage and adapting to host societies. Using the phrase, “Daddy, why am I different?” as a starting point, the study examines i)the challenges children face growing up in environments where they are perceived as different, oscillating between Ghanaian traditions and the expectations of the host country ii) the struggles of children left behind in Ghana iii) significantly, I highlight moods of transnational parenting and the strain on family dynamics, particularly in cases where spouses encounter visa challenges or choose to remain in the home country in pursuit of their career or opt to stay in the host country, looking at how families navigate their relationships when missionary tenures end. I draw on case studies on the Presbyterian Church of Ghana’s Reverse Missionary families in the diaspora from 2010 to 2024. I use Alejandro Portes and Min Zhou’s theory of Segmented Assimilation as well as Loretta Baldassa’s concept of transnational families to understand how different paths of assimilation impact the outcomes for reverse missionary families. By focusing on the intersection of faith, family, and identity, this study adds to the ongoing discourse on reverse mission and the challenges faced by migrant families within the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.