Blog Post One
Some people may wonder what life is like for a family that is itinerating (raising funds) to go to the mission field. Here is a typical day/week for our family…
We wake up in the morning and David usually does a workout and a “boys devotional” with the boys. I do a devotion before I get up.
Get breakfast going for everyone (most days it’s just cereal or toast). Then it’s time to start school. The boys are homeschooled and right now the program they are using has DVDs with their lessons being taught by teachers so they are fairly self-sufficient, but we are available for them if they have questions.
David gets to work calling pastors, answering emails, setting up lunches/coffee appointments with pastors, sending powerpoints to the next few churches we will be speaking at, double checking with the current week’s church and the one the following week that everything is set for us to come, making sure we have a hotel if we need it, prepping his sermon, praying about the coming week, etc. etc. etc.
Amy is helping the boys with school, grading their papers, helping with the emails, writing thank you notes to donors and churches, keeping up with mailing lists, making reservations, packing, laundry (and more laundry and more laundry), trying to keep the house somewhat in order, praying about the coming week, and whatever else may come up.
We do try to stop around 3-4 and do something fun with the kids, whether it be going outside and throwing the football, or playing a game of Ticket To Ride, or going on a bike ride, something to bring us back together.
Dinner, maybe a movie, showers, bedtime, and some relaxing time together for mom and dad to decompress, talk about our day, and pray about what is coming up and what we are dealing with before we go to bed.
Repeat x5.
On Saturday, depending on where our Sunday morning service is, we may have to jump in the car and start driving. We spend LOTS of time in the car. Our 2007 Honda van has put on many miles over the past 14 months! We keep things in the car to keep the boys busy, as sometimes our drives are upwards of 12 hours. Sometimes they even do their schoolwork in the car. They are troopers and very rarely complain about the long drives! Maybe it’s because they really like staying in hotels…
By Sunday morning we meet new pastors and new people at a new church and we love it! Daniel will almost ALWAYS ask the pastor if there is a children’s church, and if so, march himself right over to it. Ben is content to stay with us. We do our thing, whether it be to give a 5, 10, 20 minute missions window or to give a sermon, and love to share our calling to Papua New Guinea with people all over the country. It is amazing to see how God is speaking to people through our story! After a meal and fellowship, we either head to an evening service, or head back home. Then we start all over again!
Oftentimes Saturday is our “Sabbath” day. That’s the day we just rest and relax and don’t worry about work. Everyone needs a Sabbath day.
Not every day is the same. Not every week is the same. Some are more laid back than others. Some are downright crazy. But we are so thankful for this life God has called us to live. We are honored that He has chosen us to bring the hope of Jesus to the people of Papua New Guinea, and we are happy to be able to share our story with anyone here in America who would like to hear it!