The Right Spirit

{Jeff and Mindy Bush ~ Argentina}

 Jeff and Mindy Bush are missionaries in the country of Argentina.  They have four beautiful daughters and are expecting a son very soon.

Since arriving in Argentina, they have started several churches and a Bible Institute to teach the nationals how to serve God by reaching their own people and the world!  I'm truly blessed by them and I know you will be too!  You can keep up with them at their web site: Reaching All Ministries. 

{3 of their beautiful daughters}

Mindy writes...
There are many qualities that a woman needs in her life to be the Christ-like woman she should be and to be the example she should be to the people around her.  I want others to see Christ in my life, but many times my attitude says otherwise.  As a missionary wife for nearly a decade now, I realize that many times during the tough times on the field, it really depended on my attitude of how things were going to turn out.  My husband has often told me, “A person makes out of life what he wants to get out of life.”  If you are determined that you are going to have a bad time with your inlaws on Thanksgiving this year, then you are going to have a bad time.   Look for the positive in everything, small as it may be. 

Our first year in Argentina was very difficult for me.  We moved to La Plata, Argentina in January 2004, not knowing ANYONE!  We lived in a hotel for 3 weeks before we found a house to rent and very quickly (through many mistakes) learned culture, directions, where to shop and everything else you need to survive! We were so excited because we were finally doing what the Lord had called us to do and after 18 months of deputation, we had finally reached our first goal – getting settled on the field!

By March, only 2 months after arriving, I found out I was expecting our third child.  My oldest was still 2 at the time, and my youngest was only 9 months old.  I didn’t know how to find a doctor or hospital or even how their way of doing things took so much time!  I realized very quickly that a monthly doctor’s visit actually meant going to three different appointments and taking all the results personally back to my doctor.  That meant a lot of running around the city and a lot of time in waiting rooms.  Thankfully the Lord led me to a wonderful doctor, and in November, our little Johanna Abigail was born! 

The first year on the field, we were taken advantage of numerous times (not knowing in whom to trust, but having to trust some people).  Our camera was stolen by a lady who helped me clean and iron – the only link I had to send pictures back to grandparents.  And then, just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I found that there is a certain minute bug very prevalent living on many children’s heads.  Yes, you guessed it!  LICE!  I think my girls have had lice 100 times, but the first few times, I felt like it was the worst thing that could possibly happen to me!  Now when they get it, I just shrug and think, “Well, so much for trying to get anything done today” and get to work.  Now I’m a professional lice exterminator. 

I share all of this to say that during this time, my attitude was not always right.  I struggled alone many times with depressing thoughts. I missed my family! I missed American food! I missed Reece cups!  I even started to miss….(GASP)….deputation!   

The devil began to feed me lies, making me think that I was forgotten as the old saying goes “out of sight, out of mind”.   Then one day I remembered something that someone once told me, “Many missionaries have left the field because of their wife.”  I did not want to be the cause of my husband having to leave the field, so I knew I needed to straighten up my heart.   I asked the Lord to forgive me for always dwelling on the negative and asked Him to give me a plan for happiness on the field or I just wasn’t going to make it. I told Him that I did not want to miss out on HIS will for our lives because I wanted MY will.  He spoke to my heart about my devotional time which was very hit and miss by this point and whenever I could “squeeze” Him in between taking care of 2 toddlers and a baby.  I realized that I needed to get up an hour before I knew the kids would be up and spend my time reading and praying.  I also started a prayer journal of requests and answers so that I could SEE that God was still working in our lives and He had not abandoned us.  In a very short amount of time, I was like a new person.  I was learning to find joy each day and live life reaching out to my family and others. 

So what can YOU do to help a young missionary wife?  I don’t want to leave this post without sharing a few ideas how you can help many other young missionary wives who may be out there in “Timbuktu”, struggling with some of the same things I struggled with. 

With the advance of technology nowadays, there is no reason you can’t be a part in the daily life of missionary wives.  If your missionary wife has Facebook or email,  she can very easily be reached in just seconds!  It has encouraged me so many times to open up my Facebook and read, “I was just thinking about you today.” It may be by someone we met on furlough or a family member but it really brightens up my day and keeps me going!  Or just post an encouraging verse or song on her wall!  A care package goes a LONG way to making a missionary wife feel like someone does care!  Find out what things she misses from the states and send them to her!  And don’t worry….she will figure out how to ration out that jar of peanut butter until the next supply comes!   

 I know it’s expensive to send a package, but it sure beats buying a plane ticket to visit her, although that would be good too!  Sure, you may have to forfeit a couple date nights at Outback Steakhouse or P.F.Changs, but think of the pleasure you would be giving her when she opens up a box with Peanut butter, marshmallows, and Reece cups!  

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