Time can tell...

We have only been in Rwanda for 15 months. But our life style would indicate a longer stay.

A while ago I had prepared a nice dinner for visitors. With only a few minutes before their arrival I jumped into the shower as I still had the village smell from earlier that day on me. There was no electricity, so while I go through my shower ritual, by candle light, a big roach jumped from the cracks of the ceiling right on my shoulder. I am talking big roach (2 1/2" or 5cm long)! I brushed him off of me causing him to do back stroke in the shower. As I was in such a hurry did not have the time to kill the thing, remove his guts and dump him in the toilet, so instead I made him a prisoner under my soap holder.
Forgetting about the roach, he was found later that night by Travis who killed him.

Nani and Zoey love to watch DVD's in the evening. So when they are lucky and we have electricity they love to cuddle up together, turn off the lights and watch their favorite movies for what seems like the 150th time. They are really into a movie when all of a sudden the whole neighborhood goes dark. Electricity gone... And all we will hear from the tv room is; "Oh man, not again, common let's get a lantern and color..."

The citywater goes off a lot. In those times we pray that we have sufficient water in our water tank to last us until the next time water is on. When there is no city water the water pressure is very very low. And when the pressure is low, it doesn't push the water through the hot water heater. Now in order for the water to heat we need... electricity.
Just the other day I realized that we, including the kids are used to the cold showers. When we turn open the hot water and it is actually hot we all scream; "Guys, get naked, we have hot water!" And we all line up to enjoy the hot water, no matter the time of the day.
Yet, as we have adapted to the cold water, we add so much cold to the hot, that is is almost cold anyways!

In the summer we had cattarpillars in our backyard, They looked cute and fuzzy but cause a chemical reaction upon touch. Nani and Zoey would be playing outside, when all of a sudden the one would lean on the other; "I stepped on a cattarpillar." They know the drill. Sit down while mom makes the local treatment; salt and water paste and keep heaping it on the splinter like spikey's, stuck in the burning skin. There is no cry, no whining. But we all know that it hurts...

It was just two nights ago when, again, there was no electricity. Trav and I are enjoying our late night coffee by lantern light as I see what I preseve to be a large lizzard. The lizzards eat mosquito's so we leave them unharmed in our house. I look again and realize that this is a very big lizard. I get up to check it out and find my lizard friend to be a snake (the one above). As the light was so faint in the house I yelled to Trav:"Quick, bring me a flashlight and the camera.."
He is already on his way. After watching the snake for a while I wonder if the thing could be dangerous, so I get the kitchen knife for Trav to kill it.
We brought it outside to show our compound manager who tells us that it is a dangerous snake. Just one bite and a little time can do great harm...

I read all this again only to be amazed. The things that make many others frustrated, upset or even cause great fear we see as challenges and just deal with them as they come. Not just Trav and me but also our children. There is no fear but peace. There is no panic but dealing with every situation as it comes.
Now, have we been in Rwanda to long to come to this place of peace?

I called this posting "time can tell". Though I think part of this is adapting, which is a time issue, I believe a deeper work is going on, and I want to give the credit for it to God.
As we have accepted and agreed the calling he gave us I believe he has transformed our minds and abilities to be fit for our life in Rwanda. Thank you God for this life we may live. I am truly amazed at the works You do ! You are indeed who You say You are!