Ten Days in the Life (of a Missionary Wife)

Sometimes it's difficult to pull up the memory of what happened just a few hours ago, much less last week. 

The purpose of this post is a personal recollection of what life looks like right now. 

It's a bird's-eye view, not intended to be a full and complete recounting but a remembrance for the future.

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6/23 SUNDAY: 9:45 AM left home, drove downtown to FLORECE for music practice prior to the Iglesia Bautista de Fe morning service starting at 11:00. Pedro prepped lunch the night before, a delicious roast in the crockpot for our seven guests (five planned, two unplanned.) He added a celery + palmito + palta salad while I made Chilean rice. Robyn contributed potato + beet salad and tomato + onion salad. Pam brought yummy brownies and American ice cream. Yilena brought Valeria, and toddler attention was captured again by the Melissa & Doug wooden ice cream set that came home from furlough! It was an enjoyable afternoon of food and fellowship.

6/24 MONDAY: On the phone until 1 AM with a daughter, so waking up was hard. Computer work in the morning while Elisa did school with Alec. Multiple conversations by WhatsApp. Never-ending to-do list: medical/ministry expense reports, airfare searches, ministry decisions. Health concerns for an adult child. Yummy grilled lunch thanks to Pedro, and a fun time playing "Nab-It" with him and Alec afterwards. Then headed downtown around 4:30 to help Ibodne with printing her mosaic catalog, making a PowerPoint presentation for a supporting church, explaining how to use the voice recorder app. Ate completos from the corner store around 8:30 PM once Alec arrived from boxing.

6/25 TUESDAY: At FLORECE, mostly computer work on the third floor. Excitedly awaiting reports from Eva and Aunt Terri about their visit in Iowa today. Loved Eva's video of her put-together new apartment that she finished organizing at 4 AM! So did her FLORECE "tias." Translated Pastor Andy M's devotionals on John chapter 1 for the first discipleship/Bible study with Y at 4:30. Pedro at home had Bible study in the morning with her brother J. A friend requested a video call to pray for a special need. We had an extended spiritual talk with the opportunity to clearly share the gospel again as we long for her salvation. Busy, full, blessed day.

6/26 WEDNESDAY: Fresh, delicious hummus and toast for breakfast thanks to Pedro. 10 AM we had a video call with Patience on pre-field, then with Melanie. I collected documents and submitted pasavante request online for upcoming Antofagasta trip. WhatsApp chat with someone needing benevolent help. Video call with Mom and Jenn to hear about the facility where Dad will be moved. Aunt Pam and Uncle Jon took Silas out to La Ecuatoriana and brought back jugos naturales. Updated expiration dates for our documents. Heard that Eva had an accident at work, probably concussion. Pedro took boys to soccer, Alec trying out his age group with Cosayach.

6/27 THURSDAY: Read nice FB post from the young family retiring from the house in Flint. Prayer request for God's provision of new renters. Reminisced and at Pedro's thoughtful suggestion, wrote to the friends who rented us our first apartment and had a nice chat. 9 AM headed down to FLORECE, busy day from the outset. Met with client whose infant son needs answer to seizures. We conference called with pastor in Antofagasta willing to reach out to medical specialists there. Pedro received a request for urgent financial help from someone in Santiago after a car accident who was threatened with a weapon if he didn't pay today. I left the lights on in the Toyota FunCargo cambio de volante and had a dead battery. The neighbor with the the new completo business kindly brought the battery from his own car to jump mine. Headed straight to reunion de apoderados at Silas' school. It ran late, so Elykar and I couldn't make it to prayer meeting downtown and had an impromptu, encouraging time of conversation and dinner at Lomitos Porky's instead.

6/28 FRIDAY: Between 4 and 5 AM, a trip to the bathroom revealed the unwelcome news that our water had been cut without warning. First thoughts, guests are scheduled for a lunch of Venezuelan arepas that are to be prepared in my kitchen and that's not going to work without water! Pushed the time back so Lamedas arrived to prepare after 1 PM when water returned. Snapped a fun goodwill picture with Pedro between their two vino tinto soccer jerseys because Venezuela beat Mexico in their Copa America game. Enjoy lunch with Sharps and arepas with pulled beef, grilled chicken, cheese, ham, avocado, black beans, the works. Pam brought chocolate chip bars and American ice cream. Sweet farewell fellowship. Movie night at home with Pedro watching "Ordinary Angels" which was a poignant true story. Nighttime chat with Eva and her bunnies.

6/29 SATURDAY: Why is 8:30 AM considered a good time for youth soccer on a weekend morning? Aunt Pam and Uncle Jon wanted to see one of Silas' games and made the sacrifice to join us. To our surprise, an unknown mom from the other team came over to say hello to Pam and it turns out she'd done her nails on this visit and they'd chatted. A reminder of how simple kindness can create contacts! We drove to the Agro Sur and picked up empanadas from Dese Un Gusto for lunch. Fried cheese, baked mexicana and pollo acelga. Got to talk to Ian at the Ranch and catch up on his week. Played Settlers of Catan. Owen called but I was out the door for ladies' meeting down at FLORECE. Picked up Pam who kindly prepared the devotional in my place this month while I led games. Fifteen ladies plus six kids was a wonderful turnout, including A joining us and FLORECE client L visiting for the first time! Took the van so I could do half a dozen drop offs, always an "adventure" in traffic at night.

6/30 SUNDAY: Music practice before church with Alec and Jon on guitar for the last time this visit. Really sweet spirit and joyful singing today! Domingo Familiar on the book of Isaiah with Ibodne dividing the group into four and attentive interactions. Yesterday's guests joined us again and everyone enjoyed the tiempo de compartir. We picked up menu lunches from Daniel "the cake guy" and while waiting, ate ice cream cones from Marrasquino's overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The joys of living in Iquique. Dropped off lunches to Solange who continues to be very ill. Happy to see glimpses of Owen on his host mom's FB page, funny video of him and his "summer sister" celebrating a corn hole victory. Late afternoon, Eva's first Chilean elementary school teacher stopped by for a visit with queque and brazo de reina as a gift. We shared that and coffee together. What a blessing from God she was all those years ago and we still pray for her family's salvation. Video chatted with Eva while she was here. May God help us keep in touch, witnessing and caring.

7/1 MONDAY: Calmer day. Chatted with young adult child about the unfortunate realities of health insurance. Concerned how to meet her physical needs. Short school day for Silas. Enjoyed Chinese with homemade garlic ginger rice. Treated boys to "Inside Out 2", dropped off Alec to volleyball, drove downtown in search of purple t-shirts for Silas' school anniversary week. Walked a scary block in the dark down Amunategui looking unsuccessfully for purple pom-poms. Received a message from former client K going through struggles and spent a couple of hours in communication. Stayed up late writing our prayer email update and a letter from FLORECE to the hospital in Antofagasta. collecting documentation and emailing to the pastor who's helping us on behalf of a client's baby.

7/2 TUESDAY: Left shortly before 9 AM to pick up Marcela and head downtown, found street parking outside FLORECE, shuffled appointments due to a last-minute volunteer absence, prayer time, clients arrived early. Consistent rhythm of appointments, goodbye visit and gift of individual chocolate-covered lemon pies from La Paulina from Sharps. Between all of us, lots of chuckles and a couple of outtakes, recorded a video for sister center in Arequipa celebrating their anniversary this month. Picked up Y for discipleship Bible study, dropped her off, enjoyed our last meal with Sharps including grilled chicken and pork by Pedro and homemade mac-n-cheese by Aunt Pam. Showed them the first half of "Inside Out." Pedro and I prayed at bedtime for the family of their dear missionary friend who suddenly passed away.