Appliances

Wow, I can’t believe that it has been two weeks. I guess it has been a little quiet around here. This week was an exciting one, as my friend Heather from home came to join me here. She left home Monday, and arrived on Wednesday. The kids painted a wonderful “Welcome to Liberia Feather Hyffie” sign. I told them how people have a hard time pronouncing her last name, Fyffe (said like the instrument fife) and to tease her I call her Fiffy or other silly names, so the kids thought that was great. Its funny, how sometimes I can say things to them, and they don’t listen at all, then other times I say something, and I never hear the end of it. Last night, we were reading our devotions in Job, and at then end, there is questions for everyone, from William up. I’ll be honest, my mind sometimes wanders during devotions. I know, horrible of me isn’t it. Anyhow, the kids are very smart, and usually get their questions right. It got to me, and the question was something in regards to wisdom, and who doesn’t speak it, or something, and the hint was the answer started with two D’s. Out of desperation, because I really didn’t know the answer, I guessed “the Deaf and Dumb”. WRONG. The answer, which of course everyone else knew was “Death and Destruction”. Of course, dumb (or mute) people couldn’t speak wisdom. Anyhow. For the rest of the evening, the children made fun of me. Deaf and Dumb. Okay, sometimes I am not exactly on the ball.
So Heather made it safe and sound, minus one suitcase we are still waiting on. We got to go to the beach yesterday and enjoy the sand and sun. It was nice to have her with me, as many times it is just me and the children.
Yesterday, I decided, today is the day I will start to wash my own laundry. Now some of you may be agast, that at 28, I am not doing my own laundry, but the thing is, here, it gets done by hand, in big tubs, and then wrung out and hung dried. We have a washer woman that comes three times a week. So, she washes our clothes, bless her. I thought, with Heather coming, that would put it up to 8 people she is washing for, so I thought, it might be nice for her to have a bit of a break, so Heather and I from now on will wash our own clothing. I bought some soap, and Oneisimus gave me a few pointers. I think it took me about an hour or hour and a half. It is hard work, in the sun, scrubbing, and rinsing, and wringing. I definately can appreciate Martha a lot more now. Later, Kathleen asked me to take the area rug out and beat it. So, there I am with a big old stick, wacking the heck out of the area rug, to get the dirt out. Heather got the joy of burning garbage. Here, there is no garbage disposal service. We give all our veggy scraps to the chickens, the meat and bone scraps to the dogs and cats, the burnables, we burn, and the metal tins get thrown over the fence. I know, you are all thinking, how horrible, to throw your garbage over the fence, but apparently there are boys that come along and collect the scrap metal and melt it down to make things, like pots or spoons. I felt a bit like I was living in the 1800’s washing my clothes, and beating the carpet, which by the way, is a great way to get rid of any frustration you may have pent up inside.
I makes you appreciate things like, washing machines and vacuums, and garbage trucks. Daily tasks here, they take up much of peoples time. Women here work hard, to feed their families, and to cook and clean and wash clothes. I see them sometimes, at the mouth of a river or lagoon, pounding their clothes on the rocks. Try to imagine carrying your clothes on your head to the nearest body of fresh water to wash clothes, or even to bathe. It would certainly change the dynamics of our communities.
Well that is it for today. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving last weekend, celebrating everything God has so richly blessed us with. Perhaps you can say a little thankyou next time you do laundry for your washing machine:)
BEC