Life Demands

Matthew and I are soon to celebrate our fifth anniversary and the other day I was thinking back to the time before we were engaged, but we were talking about when to get married.  The main issue that was presented was the fact that Matthew wanted to go live in Alaska – a great adventure.  He had found coursework there that he wanted to pursue, along with a friend’s ministry he wanted to help start.  The question was, should we get married and go together, or try a long distance relationship while he goes on an adventure?  Well, now, the answer is quite obvious if you’ve ever been in love!  You have to go an adventure together!  So, we talked about what life in Alaska would look like.  (On a side note, we also talked about how soon we’d have to get married if we wanted to be in Alaska by the start of the fall quarter, hence a six week engagement!)  I made two requests.  Well, they were really requirements.  I wanted (1) electricity and (2) running water – hot, too, please.  These simple things seem silly if you’ve spent your life in suburbia.  Obviously, what house comes without those things!?  Well, if you’ve met anyone who lives a “real” Alaskan life, you know that those two things, especially running water, are mere luxuries.  Thankfully, Matthew was willing to bend to my demands for luxury.  Looking back, I realize how many people I’ve met and loved here in AK, especially women and mothers, who live or have lived without running water (and a few without electricity from a grid) and life is just fine.  Different, but fine.  Harder, but fine.  I still cling to running water and electricity as my lifeline, though!

So, now we are looking forward to life in Africa, in the city of Kinshasa, capital of the DRC.  And, thanks to the technology and popularity of facebook, I’ve made friends of some of the wives and mothers who currently serve with MAF there, mostly to get a glimpse ahead and learn all I can about what life is like in such a place.  And guess what I’ve learned?  Well, guessed what I’ve learned they often live without?  Yep and yep.  Especially electricity.  Well well well…

Before you have any pity on me (or perhaps that didn’t cross your mind), please note that I find this funny.  First of all, I trust that God saw this one coming.  He saw it coming back in early 2006 when I made those “demands” of Matthew and our life in AK.  He saw it coming during our interview at MAF in January when they decided where our services were most needed.  And then, finally, He saw me make the connection just a few days ago.  I actually laughed out loud when the thought occurred to me.  I’m so grateful for those women that live there and realize it is a [hard] part of everyday life.  I’m so excited to have friends here in AK who live without running water, who must haul it from somewhere else into their homes, and they live just fine – that gives me courage and hope!

Anyway, I just wanted to share those thoughts with you all.  Please pray for me.  I’m not saying I will ENJOY a life without those things.  They are still on my list of demands, but Matthew can’t do much about a corrupt power company or a finicky water supply, so in this case, it’s not really a life choice like it is in Alaska.  I know it will be frustrating and tiring and annoying, but the Lord is sovereign even over these little things and I will lean on Him for my strength!