Missionary Wife: Missionary Living's Beginnings...

I am a missionary wife.  Before that I was the associate pastor's (dad) and mission coordinator's (mom) daughter.  I grew up in and around ministry.  Now I live most of the time out on the mission field.  Even though my dad was always bi-vocational while I was growing up, my mom still did and still does things the way they did when they were not bi-vocational.  In many ways that was a blessing, as I learned very early to be extremely creative with very little.

For our home on the Navajo Reservation, I am morphed used 2nd (sometimes 5th or 10th) hand furniture and cold, drab walls into homey, inviting living quarters, all with scarves, blankets, flea market treasures, and gift decor.

Piece of advice to any young missionary setting out, pick one favorite game like mancala or dominoes that is small and travels well, take a 4x6 photo album filled with pictures of family and friends with room to add your life on the field, and find a cloth wall hanging (for me it is a antique Navajo sample rug, two celtic cross sarongs, and a favorite shirt turned wall hanging), and pack those in your bag.  Even if you can take only 2 small bags, those fit well, and give you instant home!  Helps make a lonely new place feel homey fast.

~ Michelle