Late Thursday night the electricity went out and so I barely got any sleep. Since being pregnant, I have become rather dependent upon my fan for a good night sleep. Even with the fan, I toss and turn and moan and groan with each turn...my poor husband! I can hardly imagine what it will be like in a month or two! Even with the size of my stomach now, sleeping is not easy...how will it be when I am really huge?! Well, I will worry about that when the time comes I guess.
The electricity stayed off until Friday evening, causing me to reflect on how dependent we (people in general) are on electronics. We don't have a TV so that is not an issue. It was during the day, so light was no problem. I don't cook with electricity, so even that was not disturbed. Do you know what gave me a tough time (besides my fan)? The computer! I hardly knew what to do with myself, not being able to do my ritual facebook check in the morning! I felt a bit "disconnected" with the world to say the least.
However, by the end of the day I realized that I tend to be more productive without electricity. My husband went to the church early in the morning and spent the whole day there. I joined him for the service in the afternoon. But I spent the whole morning at home, without electric, and I got so much more accomplished! It turned out to be a great day, but I wasn't complaining when the electric came back on in the evening, in time for a good night sleep!
Next random thought...African women are amazing! Since being pregnant in Africa, I have reflected a lot on the life of women here in Rwanda. Can I just say, these Rwandan women deserve some kind of award! Being pregnant is not easy on your body to say the least, and I watch as these precious women walk long distances carrying a huge jug of water on their heads while carrying a baby on their back. One day I say a mama get off the taxi. She was pregnant, had another baby on her back, a huge basin of tomatoes on her head and another sack of more tomatoes stacked on top of that! I was exhausted just looking at her! I feel so blessed that at least when I feel tired and my back is aching, I can lay down for a few minutes knowing that I have a helper at home who is cleaning my house and working on cooking lunch! Thank you Jesus for that! Many many people here have house helpers. It is a very common thing in fact. But not for those who are poor or jobless. I sat in the church yesterday, with tears in my eyes, looking around me at all the precious women who had come to pray. They are poor, most of them are simple farmers, doing what they can to grow something to sell at the market or raising a few goats. Three of them were holding babies and I knew they had other children, perhaps many other children, waiting for them at home. You know the thing that gets me?...they are so skinny! I watched this one sweet mama trying to nurse her baby and I had to wonder how she was even able to produce enough milk for her baby because she, herself looked rather malnourished.
Life is hard for women here, especially those living in the rural. The village where our church is has no good water source. That is one of the reasons that we couldn't live there (besides we weren't able to find a house for rent there anyway). The people have to walk very far, way down into the valley to get water. And speaking of electricity... they have none.
Anyway, all this reflecting has made me realize that I really want to help these women at the church to find a way to better their lives and the lives of their families. I am throwing around all kinds of ideas...getting someone to come a teach them how to sew or make jewelry to sell (maybe to my family and friends in America next time we come to visit?), raising goats or rabbits, starting a garden or providing seeds for them to cultivate...so many ideas in my head. I think I will try to meet with them soon and see what ideas they have. There has to be a way to "take a little pressure off" so to speak. Especially for those who are widows and trying to raise children on their own. There has to be some hope! God help me to help them find some HOPE!
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