In my first week here in Haiti, I have realized one thing we definitely take for granted back home. And that would be our ability to access water. I mean think about how many places you have running water in your house... it's a lot! And even if you aren't about drinking the tap water because it tastes weird or whatever, you could drink it and you would be fine. It's not going to kill you. And this is the craziest thing, you can adjust how hot or cold the water is coming out of the faucet. Now let me tell you about the water situation in Haiti: As far as water that is safe for us to drink, there is none. Unless you go buy clean water that comes in these small plastic bags that you have to bite the corner off of and drink the water from the bag. Now for bathing water, some of the host homes have a well near the house where they go get water from everyday and bring it back to the house. At our house we are dependent on the government turning the city water on everyday. It does have it's benefits. Like when it does work we can flush the toilet (we're the only house that can do that!). There also is a water spout that is set up like a shower so we can actually shower and not take a bucket bath. But it does have it's problems too.
For example: last week, we had water on Monday and Tuesday. So we all had our first experience with the patience of waiting for the water to come on so we could take a proper shower. And even though looking back we probably should have, we didn't shower Tuesday because we didn't think we were that gross and we were trying to save water for other people. Well, Wednesday the water didn't come. All day. And it was hot on Wednesday. So Thursday, the three of us that live together woke up dying from the dirt in our hair and the layers of bug spray clogging our pores. We just laid in bed and prayed God would bring the water today because we needed to bathe. So normally the water comes around 10. 10 came and went. No water. 11. Still no water. 12. We started talking about just walking to the beach and sitting in the water because we were so hot. And then we heard it: the sound of rushing water. We all sat up and about cried because we were so happy God had given us water. You will never appreciate a cold shower until you have been so miserable waiting for one. I just stood under that freezing water thanking God for hearing our prayers and giving us water. And then it hit me, when is the last time I thanked God for that?
Learning to thank God for all that He has given us will definitely not be the only thing I will learn from this trip. Here are some of the other things I have learned this week:
- One of the ladies that lives near us makes homemade potato chips and coleslaw. Kettle cooked chips ain't got nothing on this girl!
- Being able to purchase something simple that reminds us of home like Gatorade really does make a difference
- Motos do not have the ability to make it up hills (Wilson literally saved my life!)
- Spaghetti can be made into soup! You just gotta stick it in the blender. Don't try this at home. Your American stomach will be so confused
- Newborn bunnies are not cute. They are naked and wrinkly
- Cake icing here is so much better than it is in the States
Something I would like to start doing is finishing my posts with a Bible verse or a quote from devotionals we are reading here that have really stood out to me. This week it was from a devotion in the book "Grace Immersion" about the story of Martha and Mary found in Luke 10:38-42: "Now before you jump to the conclusion that Jesus doesn't want people to cook and clean, let me ask you this: If He had asked Mary for a drink, do you think she would have sprung to her feet and helped Him out? Of course! But she started with- and stayed with -a restful focus on Christ."
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