Living Without.......(and surviving)

Week without Internet! And we survived !! This will get posted when we have internet again.:)) It is interesting to note what we get used to, and then take for granted. We so often do not give thanks for, or even recognize, the many luxuries that we enjoy until they are taken away for a time. This last few days we have not had access to internet service, and it feels like an imposition. (Well actually, Julie did get a chance to go down and log on via Claudia's ethernet cable on Saturday, and connect for a few minutes, but the wireless access is down.) We were reminded that just a few years ago we did not even have such a thing! ! ...and wonder of wonders, we survived!! Then and now! Claudia tells us that this lapse of wi-fi happens about once a year, but usually is quickly attended to by 'Orange', the Malian phone and internet provider. She still has service to her main computer But there is no wi-fi. I know, it doesn't make any sense to me either!) In any case, Paul went to the Orange office in person and reported the problem on Friday, and we have called every day since then, but have received no service yet. Sunday we were told that we were not even 'on the list', and yesterday morning they said they would so everything in their power to come out and get it going for us “today”. As of 10pm last night (their quitting time, we are told) they had not come. It got me thinking about some of the other things that we have gotten used to not having here in Mali that we used to take for granted. Here's a list to start you thinking as well. -No hot water from the faucet. We heat a pan of water on the stove for washing dishes (at least when we have meat or eggs and want to do a more thorough cleansing.) And we have learned to take our showers in the afternoon, when the sun has warmed the wall and therefore the water in the pipes. (that works for one shower at a time...when the sun shines!) --No reliable refrigeration. We are doing better with electricity right now, thanks to additional solar panels having been installed by Anco and crew, but our little counter-top refrigerator barely chills food to 60*F and food does not keep long. so daily shopping is necessary. --No spare tire. It is really more about living in a city than about Western & 3rd world differences, but it is not safe to leave an unlocked spare tire in the back of your pick-up truck downtown! This truth we proved last Sunday when we were relieved of our spare tire while we were in the English speaking Worship Service downtown. Live and learn! --No air-conditioners. Not even a swamp cooler! Swamp coolers are basically big boxes with a fan that pulls air in thru water saturated filter panels, and blows it into your house. The evaporative cooling that takes place reduces the incoming air temperature by 20 or 30 degrees, and is especially effective in the driest months-- which are also the hottest. One of those is a possibility for next January perhaps. We will see! --No internet. (or S..L....O......W & spor...a..dic In...t.er...n...e....t........)!! Usually we have to go downstairs to the Boys family room to get online via the wifi that we have here at H2tNI base, but it is slow, especially during the business workday, and often goes off entirely for a few minutes or a few hours. Sometimes the “off”” cycle is a few days, like this week. --No language skills! We are slowly learning Bambara—at least it seems slow to us when we are trying to communicate with the boys or our cooks and the neighbors. Fortunately, they are patient with us, and try very hard to understand our halting sentences. --NO family nearby. We do miss our families, both our blood related family (read “grandchildren!”:-)), and our friends and church family. It is hard to be away from them as they are celebrating anniversaries, birthdays and holidays. Ginn and Garrick are celebrating 14 years of marriage TODAY! (Happy Anniversary you two, Im not sure if this will get posted today, but we are thinking about you.) And Heather and Stuart are at the big 10 this year,(Thanks for the fb chronicle of the weekly gifting, Heather. It helps us to celebrate with you. and makes us proud to have such a son and daughter, I might add) We love seeing pictures and the occasional skype date we set up with them but it is not the same as getting hugs from tiny arms and hearing “I love you, Mimi”. There are more things that we have gotten “used to” here, like eating from community dishes while flies are buzzing around you, Running to shut doors and windows when the wind suddenly picks up and a storm pours over the horizon, walking on gritty floors (Cause there is no way to keep the grit out—you notice when the floor is clean and no grit!), trying to converse and not being able to because we speak different languages, living with one bathroom (and counting ourselves lucky to have one all to ourselves), remembering to bite down gently on the rice, because there are sometimes pieces of grit or small stones in it,(they do sort and clean it as thoroughly as they can, but there are still little pieces that get thru.). Tomorrow I want to post the other side-- stay tuned. And meanwhile, ponder and go back and consider the many things that you have that you can be thankful for. Be blessed and count your blessings! Mimin MAli