My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Once it was a girl who volunteered to hand wash our laundry before we had a washing machine. Another time a stranger in a Kiev airport, who turned out to be another missionary, helped me and my little ones during our flight and then got us on a train in Budapest. On the physical level, women here, both nationals and the rest of us, are just plain tired. The workload is immense.
Simple tasks take much longer to complete here.
If I can get three meals on the table and have a clean kitchen by 10 p.m., I've had a successful day. It takes time to peel potatoes and carrots, cut up and grind meat for hamburger, clean chickens, boil milk and water, and hunt for new recipes using cabbage. In addition to dealing with fatigue, living here is an emotional roller coaster. Small victories and insignificant disappointments alike set off major fireworks, for good or bad. When it takes so much energy just to live and maintain a household, there's not much left for family relationships, friendships, and ministry.