Toilets

Today I have been inspired to write about toilets. Why? Because I now know more about toilets and plumbing than I ever have in all my life. Here’s the thing. Toilets break. Water shuts down every now and then. And about one in every three toilets I encounter the back is open and you have to figure out just what lever or string to pull inside to make it flush.

                 

As I was chilling in my room this past Saturday reflecting on life, this random revelation about toilets came to mind. I’ve kind of forgotten that at one point all of this random knowledge about how toilets work was foreign to me. When I arrive at new places I’ve learned to backtrack plumbing and figure out how to turn water on and off. Often times I get to search for a water source to manually dump water in to flush it myself. Hand sanitizer and toilet paper are always in my bag because literally like every public toilet is most likely lacking these things. Not to mention the fact that quite frequently public toilets are missing the seat – and occasionally the lock or the door itself is missing too.

(This is probably the weirdest blog post you’ve ever read, and I’m only a little bit sorry about it haha)

That being said, I’ve noticed that God has been teaching me some serious flexibility and patience. I don’t miss the comforts of home very often, and I consider that a huge blessing to my sanity haha. I don’t think twice about cold showers. Boiling water for a bath is my new normal unless I’m too lazy and would rather freeze. (Ashamedly I admit that 5 out of 7 days a week I am too lazy and would rather freeze.) Hand washing clothes now seems super economical and appealing to me even when I get back to the States.

This lifestyle makes me appreciate everything so much more. While I know doing simple daily tasks here can be a little more entertaining than at home, I also know that we have it pretty great here. Others out there are struggling much more and I am so thankful that God is a faithful provider in all ways for what we truly need.

But wait. There’s one more thing.

Target. I get to scroll through Facebook and see angry posts about Target, movements to boycott Target, reasons why it’s not a big deal, and all kinds of stuff about their new decision on their public bathrooms.

Friends. I agree that this is unsettling and yet another sign of how sin is gripping our nation. But at the same time…. PEOPLE. Just be thankful you don’t have to pay a dollar to use their toilets (that actually have seats) and you don’t have to bring your own soap and toilet paper and then try to figure out how to flush the stupid thing.

Disclaimer: Don’t get the impression that every toilet in Zimbabwe is a disaster haha… I’m just speaking from random experiences as I have traveled around.