"The longing for Africa for the never-seen but nonetheless beloved groom" - these words were noted by Christiane Burckhardt from Möttlingen in Swabia in her diary in 1867. Shortly thereafter, she and many other women left their homeland to marry 'in the mission' in India, Africa, or China. What motivated these women to turn their backs on their homeland and begin a new life in a foreign land? What did they feel during the farewell from their familiar social environment, how did they experience the often weeks-long and sometimes arduous journey, and how did their new life take shape? The author embarks on an interesting and exciting quest, during which she uncovers many previously undiscovered letters, diaries, and photographs, in addition to the official sources from the archives of the Basel Mission, which are scientifically evaluated for the first time here.