Synchronization...

It’s been a week since I’ve written…much has happened…nothing has happened. We're still waiting to move in to our "new" house. We were to have moved yesterday. We're not sure if we'll even be able to move in by this weekend. It's life in Nicaragua.

We’re still at Susanna’s, thankful we have a roof over our head and yet, ready to move in under our own roof. As I type this, Jim and I are sitting on Susanna’s front porch, both of us in rockers. Occasionally, as I stop to think about what it is that I want to write and Jim stops to think about what it is he wants to say, we rock. More times than not, we rock in the same rhythm. A perfect motion back and forth…we seem to be well synchronized. Timing is everything.

The porch is normally a quite large space, covered with a roof and secured by bars. The breeze blows through and when the sun is beating down, it provides a great place to take refuge from the heat and still be outside. Today, the sun has stayed hidden and the temps are cooler. I actually feel almost a bit chilly…I’m told that means I’m acclimating to the climate. I question that.

Jim is studying his Spanish notes and I’m waiting for the washing machine to finish the last load for the day. Normally, that wouldn’t be a big deal. Today, it’s worth celebrating. Susanna’s house has been without water since Saturday night. We’ve had snippets of time where the water would come back on, but never for any great length of time. The longest period to have running water since it first went off this “cycle” was yesterday morning when we all were able to get a shower in before they turned it back off.

Tuesday morning, Jim and Susanna loaded up our empty 5 gallon water jugs and a 10 gallon cooler and headed up to the Buzbee’s “to fetch a pail of water.” The Buzbee’s have their own sweet water well and had graciously extended the offer to come get water whenever we needed it. After all the jugs had been brought in to the house, Jim and I were standing in the kitchen talking when I noticed the faucet was dripping. If thought realization could have been put in to animation, I would have to say it was a slow-motion cartoon-like moment. Simultaneously, we saw the dripping faucet. We then turned and looked at one another. Looked at the faucet again. Looked at one another – again. Back to the faucet. And as we once again turned to look at one another in amazement, we both said at the same time, “We’ve got water!” Synchronized realization…what a beautiful thing!

We laughed at the timing. We immediately decided to indulge what had quickly become luxuries. First and foremost, Susanna disappeared in to her bathroom and we headed for ours. Synchronization continued with the sweet harmonious sounds of toilets flushing. We then began the process of taking our showers. Warm, running water…it was heavenly!!!

And as many good things often do…it all too quickly came to an end. Within several hours, we were once again without water. Sigh. Back to spitbaths and bucket brigades for the bathroom. Until this afternoon. And the lovely sound of water running once again tickled our ears and our spirits. What great manner of celebration could we now revel in? What would be the best use of the much longed-for liquid? Laundry!!! With the water out for four days and laundry not having been done for several days prior to that, well…it was time.

I turned the knob on Susanna’s trusty old washing machine. Nothing. I wasn’t too concerned at first as her machine is very temperamental and has been becoming more so of late. But after several times around the selector without so much as a trickle of water, I had to come to grips with the fact that the only agitation going on in the laundry room today was of my own doing. Gr-r-r. We finally had water and now, we had no washing machine. This was getting to be more than frustrating…it was almost tear-worthy. Almost. I wasn’t ready to lavish my own storehouse of eye liquid on the lack of a washing machine. At least not yet. I was still in a conservation mode and wasn’t sure what else the day might bring forth…I might need those tears for something much greater than a cantankerous container of corrosion.

I decided that the only option was to use the pila…the concrete outdoor scrub sink. I filled a bucket with soapy water and a large bowl with clean water and began washing clothes by hand. The first two minutes I was feeling very Nicaraguan and quite proud of myself. Somehow, it all seemed so romantic and martyr-ish…my mind filled with concocted images of Lottie Moon , Ann Johnson (Adoniram’s wife) and Mary Moffat Livingstone (David’s wife) scrubbing clothes in washtubs and rivers. I was joining the ranks of women missionaries who bore hardships for the sake of their calling. I brushed my hair back out of my eyes – quite certain I must be making a pretty impressive show of my willingness to “do the hard thing”.

God must have decided I was full enough of myself and chose at that moment to bless me with a spasm in my back. Lottie, Ann and Mary became distant memories. My hands were hurting, my back was cramping and I was having trouble getting the soap rinsed out of the clothes and getting all the excess water wrung out. This was hard work. This was not fun. There was nothing romantic about it. This gave me a new appreciation, not just for women who lived 100 years ago…women like Lottie, Ann and Mary…but also for Margarita, Mary (Freddy’s wife) and Elizabeth (Miguel’s wife), women who wash their clothes every day like this…that is if they’re lucky enough to have a pila. Washing at the river and using a rock is the other option. I’m a wuss. I never have minded doing laundry. Today…I was minding it a lot. Not just for me though…but for women all over the world who have never had the luxury of using a washing machine. I was reminded that I have been blessed in so many ways and even on the worst days here…the days without water and the days without a washing machine…are often just normal days for most of the population.

Jim took pity on me and after some discussion and a phone call approval from Susanna, Jim rigged up a water hose to our washing machine that is sitting on Susanna’s front porch. He ran an extension cord to a surge suppressor and then to the washing machine. He then tied the drainage hose to one of the front porch bars so that the water would drain out the porch area and not flood all our belongings. With some hesitation, I started the machine. It ran beautifully and within about the same amount of time it took me to hand wash a small number of pieces, the machine did an entire load. I love technology! I love running water! And I love it when both are working well together. Synchronization.

It’s now the end of the day. The laundry is done and hung on the front porch to dry…it may take a couple of days as cloudy as it’s been lately. But that’s okay. The clothes are hung on lines – not on bushes or on the ground. The side yard now resembles a tar pit, with all the mud the wash water made. That’s okay, too. The mud is a direct result of being able to use a washing machine instead of the pila. My arms and hands hurt tonight. Again, that’s okay. They’re reminders of a good lesson I received today. I am blessed with many things whereas many others are not. My life hasn’t been blessed for me to whine about wanting more blessings or even different blessings. I don’t merit an easier life than Margarita, Mary or Elizabeth. But because I have one, I am responsible to see that it’s a life that pleases God and blesses others…with my attitudes and my actions. Synchronized conviction. Timing is everything. And now it’s time to go to bed…I wonder what tomorrow will bring?