Missionary Wives Survey, Part 4: More daily life

Photo by: Michelle Meiklejohn

It’s fun to follow missionary women’s days. You can easily see how normal, yet different they are. Here are a few more daily schedules. (If you didn’t read the first three posts by missionary wives, you may access them here, here, and here.) 

   

Monday. (Who doesn’t like a Monday?!) I usually start out by doing a load of laundry, since I hang my stuff out to dry, and I never know what the weather is going to do. We homeschool, as well. While the kids do school, I bounce between doing lunch, teaching them, hanging our clothes, or any other cleaning that is scheduled. After school, the kids will clean up their rooms after the busy weekend. We have a large lunch. At 7:30, I leave for ladies’ prayer meeting. My husband will make a light meal for the children. I usually get home around 10:30. Then, we’re ready for bed!

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Tuesday – Rise early and spend time with the Lord before making breakfast. Once breakfast is over, we start school. We work on homeschooling until lunch. We usually take an hour for lunch before starting back to school. On Tuesdays, for a couple of hours in the afternoon, we do a Bible study with a woman. During that time, my kids are either doing schoolwork or playing quietly. Once the Bible study is over, it’s usually time to finish up with school and start supper. Our neighbor boy comes over almost every afternoon and stays until after supper. He’s a good friend to the kids as well as a big help in our language practice! After supper, we catch up on a few chores, and then we spend the evening playing games before family devotions, and then bed. 

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My favorite day is Tuesday. Get up early, go to gym at 7:00. Come back home, have devotions, breakfast and shower, get ready to go to a school. We leave around 9:45, drive an hour and have the privilege of teaching Bible to the greatest group of kids ever. I teach the younger grades (1-4), and my husband teaches the older children. I am so convicted that we need to reach the children of (this country) and have them give their lives completely to the Lamb of God, if we are going to see revival in (this country). The adults are so steeped in "religion" and witchcraft. They just add Jesus to their list of charms. If we can teach the young ones . . . showing to the generation to come, the praises of the Lord, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He hath done . . . That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep His commandments: and not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God (from Psalm 78). I have a young boy in my class named E.* Oh my, he is something different! One day, I asked the group of kids how did Jesus know Zacchaeus' name. I got all the typical kid responses. Then I asked E. He answered, "Because He is the very Son of God!" He learns every Bible verse, listens intently to the lessons and just blesses my heart. I feel sure God has great things planned for this young man. The rest of the day is spent fixing lunch, cleaning, working on Bible lessons for other areas of ministry, and fixing supper. Quite often there are those coming to the gate needing assistance, and there is always an opportunity to share the Gospel.  *Name abbreviated.

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Wednesday - Work in the church office in the morning and afternoon, make dinner in the evening, and then go to Bible study. (It really looks like very little that I do when written down, but I think my Wednesdays and Fridays are the busiest and craziest days ever!)

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My days throughout the week are basically the same right now. My husband has been going to language class, so I will give the schedule since he started that a month ago. When I get up, I make breakfast for my husband, take a shower, then start getting the kids ready for the day. In the mornings, I usually try to do housework (vacuum, clean bathrooms, etc.). While I am doing this, I try to find something to keep my kids occupied (several very small children). It's usually playing with stickers, looking at books, or something like that. About twelve, I start making lunch (our big meal of the day). We eat around 1:00. Afterwards, I wash dishes while the kids play and my husband gets ready to start translation work. At 2:00, the kids will come to the kitchen to play, while I finish things up and my husband begins work. They go for a nap from three until six. During that time frame, I do more housework, but this is the main "quiet time" I have. It could be I have to go to the store during this time as well. (I walk to the store, so I can't take all the kids with me!). After naps, it's time for a light supper for everyone. Then, throughout the evening, I tie up any loose ends (mostly with laundry). Things start winding down, and around 8:00 I give the children their milk for the evening. And 8:30-9:00 is the rest of the bedtime routine (changing diapers, washing cups, brushing teeth, prayer time with Daddy included, then bed!) After that, it's just relaxation time mostly (as long as my baby cooperates).  :-)

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Woke up. Fed cat. Exercised. Showered. Personal devotions. Made smoothies. Woke children. Checked children’s hair for lice. Family devotions and practiced special music. Family language study. Began homeschool. Bible study and lesson preparations. Called propane company to refill tank. Went to post office to get mail and send packages. Went to water company for drinking water. Went to the market and stores. Checked homeschool progress. Prepared lunch. Lunch/Listened to and discussed audio Bible with children. Started back homeschool. Cleaned. Finances and correspondence. Prepared materials for Bible Institute. Power nap. Prepared supper and left instructions for children. Accompanied husband to Bible Institute in the village. Took attendance, passed out papers, collected fees, etc. Visited with church members that live in same area. Reminded church staff members of staff meeting and dinner at our house the following day. Returned to town. One of my favorite things of the week: supper date with hubby. Skyped with family, husband’s doctor. pharmacy, and businesses. Read to kids. Prayer and tucked kids in bed. Fed cat. Hubby time. Tucked hubby in early with cough drops, tissues, and water. Worked on a chapter for a fiction story (one of my favorite ways to relax). Personal devotions. Final language study review. Aaaah, my pillow :)

There’s one more post about Missionary Wives to come. You won’t want to miss it!