Our new Life

This past month has been crazy!  A month ago, I was in Washington happily enjoying life.  Now, I'm in Honduras and learning how to adjust to a new life.  I haven't even been in Honduras for a month, but I constantly keep finding myself comparing my old life to my new life.  

In my old life, I would wake up normally around 9 and in bed by 10-1a.m.  Here, I am up by 5, and in bed by 8.  I used to be worried about how I smelled if I didn't shower every other day.  Here, I could go 5 days easily without showering.  I used to have a shower with hot and running water.  Here, we catch our rain water for flushing toilets and showers.  But we don't have running water, we get bucket showers.  However, if it rains, you can stick your head under neath the tin roof and have "running water".  Works like a charm.  I used to be used to having different things for lunch and dinner.  Here, we have beans and rice for lunch and dinner.  I never understood the reason for concrete mixers…until I mixed concrete by hand.  I always thought that you flushed toilet paper…until I had to go outside your bathroom for toilet paper and had to throw it away.  I always thought that water was infinite, until we ran our of rain water supplies, and couldn't shower or flush the toilet.  I never quite understood the taste of snickers, until we found a place that sold them.  I never understood that spiders could actually grow the size of a dinner plate, until I met a tarantula.  I only had to worry about planning laundry around when I needed it.  Now, I have to plan it around the rain, time I need it, and what smells the worst.  I always thought that when you said a time you meant it, now when you say a time, it's safe to say that you can plan on people being there an hour or so afterwards.  When it rains, you can actually take a shower in it…and shave too!  This saves water.  If you do construction, it's perfectly fine to take a nap at 3.  I used to be concerned when people stared at me as I walked down the street.  Now, I expect it wherever I go.
The more I make Honduras my home for the next 2 months, my team and I keep comparing our "new lives" to our lives back home.  This transition has been awesome, and I can't even express how amazing it has been being out here.  We have been able to see so many things that The Lord is doing out here. Please continue praying for my team and squad as we enter month 2!