This might be the hardest post to write. While I have a daily routine of sorts, I do not think we have two days that are the same. Sometimes I feel like we live 3 or 4 lives at the same time.
Life #1: We have a mission life which involves meetings, gatherings, organizing guest houses, ladies Bible study, holiday functions and other events. The Kenya field has around 17 missionary units working all throughout Kenya, and some beyond. Every family is unique in their purpose here and their style. Macedonia, while we were there, had a bumper crop of 3 families at the most while we were assigned there. So, one of our "lives" involves working with our fellow missionaries.
Life #2: The COMPOUND! Nervous is the word I would use when I found out we were moving to a compound 2 1/2 years ago. The stories about compound life flooded my mind. (not good stories either) So, needless to say, I was apprehensive about living in a neighborhood that was walled, gated, barb-wired and fitted with electric fencing. What was on the outside did not scare me, it was who I was going to be locked in with that worried me. Let me quickly put all of your imaginations to rest, compound living has not lived up to those scary stories. The benefits have far outweighed the cons of living so close to my fellow missionary friends. I could gush on and on about these awesome people. At any moment, I can walk across the street and ask for a cup of sugar, sit on a swing and talk about my day, ask someone where in the world I can find cream of tartar in this city, and borrow a snake catcher or a dvd. My husband has cranked generators for my friends when their husbands were out of town, and I've had a neighbor's husband on my roof during a rain storm fixing a broken tile because my kitchen roof was leaking when Andy was in some foreign land other than Kenya. Day to Day the compound produces some form of life. Everyone on this 5 house compound takes a turn at "The Books." Someone has to pay the security guards that guard the gate. There is everything from buying the guard dog food to paying the water meter man who stops by irregularly to collect the money. The job is big but sharing the responsibility does help ease the burden.
Life #3: The JOB! We interact with the national church and their Royal Ranger program. We also attend a national church each Sunday. Andy travels around the country; training leaders, encouraging outposts, leading camps and holding seminars. Since he is responsible for any country in Africa that either has Rangers or wants to have Rangers, he also travels outside of Kenya. With the new curriculum, we organize getting the material printed for outposts too. The job is immense and overwhelming but God is in charge of getting it all done so we just do what we can in the hours we have each day.
Life #4: Family, Friends and Supporters in the States! I don't think I have to explain that very much. Communication is essential for keeping up relationships.
Life #5: AGWM. Assemblies of God World Missions. Two words: Financial Reports. I only need to say that keeping up with EVERY receipt for dollars/shillings spent and reporting on it IS no easy task. Accountability is of high importance!
I could go on but I'll stop there. Daily life comes next but I had to give you some background on who plays a part in our lives. Part Two shall include what a few days of our week looks like.
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