Every task is a work out

I have come to realize, in the last year of living here, why Haitians looks so great and no one ‘works out’. Their whole life is ‘working out’! Every task they do involves using muscle-from the simplest things to more complex. And, since I now live here too, I am being to understand this first hand.I don’t have to walk to the river to wash all my clothes by hand, and either them dry there or walk back with heavy wet clothes. Now do I have to walk miles to get food, water, or sell things-like some do-and carry on my head all the way back to my house.

But there are a few things that I do, that put a little muscle on my bones, and I like it. I do usually find it humorous though, since I feel like some maiden from the 1800s. A glimpse into what I rambling about: the other day I decided to laundry. Now, I am so lucky to have a washing machine, my work is just a fraction of what Haitians have to do to wash their clothes. Anyway, the washing machine takes a l.o.n.g time to fill up, and since we are sometimes using a generator to power the washer (when we don’t have city power) I don’t wanna waste fuel. So, I take a bucket around the back of the house and fill it with water. I carry it back to the washer and fill it up. It takes about 5 trips to fill. Then, when it’s done, I take all the clothes outside to line dry. I love the dryer, using fabric softener sheets, and how nice they smell, and I don’t have to iron, but I have come to love line drying too. I love going outside in the sunshine, I love smelling the wet clean clothes, and love that its good for earth to use the sun for drying! As I was hanging things up, chickens were running around my feet. A cat sauntered up to me and rubbed itself on my leg. I heard baby goats crying a short ways off. I couldn’t help but laugh. I thought to myself, “Where am I?” Am I living in the 19th century, or perhaps just the countryside, or just in another country?… either way, I simply love it. I found myself humming along as I did chores I would normally grumble over. Like laundry. I think part of it has to do with being back in nature-I feel much closer to the Lord when I am surrounded by His creation. I find myself wandering outside to hit on grass (whoa, this is amazing!!) and sit under a beautiful tree, and just spend time with God. His Word says He can be found everywhere, that the rocks, mountains, sky and world speaks of His glory, and I do love to bask in it! And something I have learned from Haitians that I love -most of the time-is that they have no time schedule. I have come to notice, when I am not in a hurry, I tend to enjoy the task I am doing much more.