I am a Peters wife serving in Australia, amongst our indigenous people. We have lived here for 12 years now, and both my two sons were born here. We live in extremely isolated situations, and because my husband is Chief Pilot, we often have to be parted, to enable him to visit pilots living in other areas. This can mean we are separated for anything up to four weeks at a time on a not infrequent basis, (although usually it is only overnight.) I have found that there are two ways to cope with this separation. To become negative to it, or to be positive and creative with it. Either way, my attitudes rub off on the children. We decided a long time ago, that positive attitudes were important and creativity essential. I need to be positive. When my husband visits other bases, he is a source of encouragement and pastoral care for these families, who often do not see other Christians from their own culture for varying periods of time. His visits are always very welcome. He is also usually visiting isolated communities where we have lived in the past, so he is able to maintain close relationships with the local indigenous people who have become special friends for us. The boys and I always do something special when he is away, making his time away, something which they actually find enjoyable and not something they get upset about. We try and choose something special which they can tell him about when he gets home. We are also extremely family orientated, so that when he is at home, we look for many many ways to do things together as a family. Our boys both believe that they are part of our ministry up here. They are both very involved in all decisions we make that will affect the family. We discuss with them regularly about their feelings at his absences, and they are always very open about being positive. Until recently, I home schooled the boys, and so we took the opportunity of going with my husband whenever possible. I tried to give the wife some time out, whilst I homeschooled her children for her. Everyone enjoys these opportunities. God has really blessed our family, despite the absences that go with our ministry. I do believe that us mums are the key to how we as a couple and our children cope with the absence. It is not easy, but He gives us the grace to cope with them, and to be creative so that our family life does not suffer. I believe family life has been enriched by our life amongst our indigenous people, and the other families we serve here. Hope this is a blessing and a help to someone. from Carol To see the original letter about when Hubby's Away while in cross cultural work, see Hubby's Away