“They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.”   Psalm 144:4

I never dreamed when I married and had a family that we would be living in the middle of nowhere. You never know where obedience will take you. We live in Wamena, the largest city in the world that is completely serviced by air. This shapes how we live here and what our days look like.

6 a.m. – The kids crawl in bed with me after Chris has already gotten up – a peaceful way to start the day together.

6:15 a.m. – Time to get up and begin what feels like a running marathon to get everyone ready and out the door by 7:30. Start laundry, feed bunny, keep kids moving, pack lunches, eat breakfast and out the door!

“Riding my scooter is the easiest way for me to get around,” says Debbie. “I am amazed at how much I can fit on it! I even carried home a mattress once.”

7:30 a.m. – Sarah bikes with her dad to the front gate of our base to say good bye. Simple living has its pros and cons, and having more time with dad is definitely one of the benefits of living here. I then pile the kids on my scooter and take them to school. They are in 4th and 6th grade attending a very small school where the few teachers we have teach multiple grades at a time. We are so thankful for these teachers that make it possible for our kids to get a good education in such a remote place.

8:00 a.m. – I have the privilege of teaching the kids in grade 4-8 Bible class!!  I love teaching them the Creation to Christ curriculum.

Bible class.

9:15 a.m. –  Returning from teaching starts the other part of my day when I finish laundry, hang laundry, do dishes, sweep out the house, and then head to town on my scooter to do a little treasure hunting. Since our town is only serviced by air, you never know what you will find in the stores or if you will find it.

A local market.

10:00 a.m. – I love being able to visit my husband at the hangar at break time so I can see and feel a part of what is going on in his world. It’s great getting to know the national workers and bring treats to them to thank them for all their work.

Debbie’s husband, Chris (left) with some of the maintenance guys at the Wamena hangar.

12:00 p.m. – Since my husband is a mechanic he has a bit more flexibility in his schedule, so he is home for lunch each day.

2:30-4:30 p.m.  – My afternoon is filled with picking up the kids from school, and sometimes heading to town to see what the pasar (market) ladies have for sale on the side of the road. I love that these ladies are starting to recognize me and I look forward to seeing their incredible smiles each week.

The ladies at the pasar.

4:30-5:30 p.m. – My husband is home from the hangar! Evenings here on base are cool and pleasant and it’s a nice time to walk around and get caught-up with other teammates.

5:30-8:00 p.m. – Creative cooking time: coming up with something for supper with a limited amount of variety and making most things from scratch! Dinnertime, cleanup, and even homework fall within this time frame.

9:00 p.m. – Thankful for the days we have power all day, and thankful for the generator on days we don’t.  I am thankful to discover God’s richness in everyday life here and find He is shaping me amid what feels like mundane daily living. I find this life makes me fertile soil for growth because of my great need of Him. Time for bed….to be ready to do it all over again tomorrow!