A day in the life of an MAF wife

Hey there, my name is Trish Toomer.  Along with my husband, Sandy, we served in Shell, Ecuador from 1995 through 2002.

So often people ask, “What do YOU do while Sandy is out flying?”

This is the question most asked of an MAF wife just after her husband (MAF pilot & or mechanic) has just wowed someone with stories of short jungle airstrips, take-offs and landings, Jesus film weekends, plus numerous other unbelievable yet true mission aviation adventures.

Many times we hesitate before answering, pondering in our minds; “What do they really want to know about?” The “traditional” ministry portion of my day or the larger portion that, includes waking the kids for school, cooking, laundry, dishes, baths, kid’s homework, more laundry, more cooking, more dishes.

Then there is the shopping, going here for this, there for that, hoping to find fresh veggies even though the markets won’t be freshly stocked again for 3 days.

Next is the all out search for meat which may take you to several butchers before you find the cut you are looking for called lomo fino in Ecuador (which by the way is the only cut of meat that doesn’t require a chain saw to slice through it).

MAF wives, come as obedient servants answering a unique call of God but we do not come as pilots or mechanics, we come as wives and mothers. Our jobs/responsibilities/ministry opportunities change day to day, month to month or term to term….even minute to minute.

We may be cooking dinner when a knock comes at our door. It could be someone looking for food, a job, a helping hand or suddenly we need to be transformed into “tour guide”, turning off our stoves to lead an unannounced group of foreign or out of town visitors on a tour of our hangar, explaining who we are and what MAF does.

That’s my life as a missionary mom, wife, and servant. I hope this gave you a glimpse ande remember, God’s in control!

Trish