When the Power is Out

There are many things I take for granted back home.  Even after traveling to Mexico several times and living in India for a summer, I see how I have allowed myself to feel entitled to many of the blessings I enjoy on a daily basis.  Or if I don't feel entitled to them, I don't take time to appreciate them or give thanks for them.  Several changes of clothes for every season in Utah; clean drinking water nearly EVERYWHERE; well-paved roads, even in canyons and most remote neighborhoods/towns; lights/electricity that almost always work; relatively easy access to education; support for girls to stay in school when they're menstruating; quality support for the homeless and unemployed; political system that mostly keeps the government in check; effective programs to keep most of the trash and loose animals off the streets (i.e. cows, goats, chickens, etc.)... And the list can go on.

Here, where I'm living, the power goes out almost daily (sometimes more than once), and often stays out for a good chunk of time.  I can imagine it's even more spotty in other parts of the country.  (And that's not taking into account the number of people who can't afford to pay the electrical bill.)  Tonight, the power went out during dinner.  Everyone calmly continued eating as best as they could in the dark while one of the kids went to grab one of the solar powered lamps (a luxury here that many might only dream of.)  As I sat in the dark, my mind turned to my fears-- particularly bugs.  For whatever reason, I struggle with the idea of bugs roaming free in the night.  I know that cockroaches roam the house in the dark, along with other critters.  Once the solar-powered light arrived at the table, I felt my worries ease.  

As I contemplate now my thoughts and feelings from when the power is out, I feel a need to count my blessings.  God is patient with me... ever patient.  It seems that I need wake ups calls like this on a fairly regular basis!  But I am grateful.  I really am.  So tonight, I will give thanks for 9 (the best number) specific things from my life here in Ghana:

1. The solar-powered lamps we have scattered around the house for when the power goes out
2. The friendly people who greet me on the streets and continue to welcome me to Ghana
3. Ouwra (spelling???), the sweet 2 year-old who lives with us with his mom, and has one of the most adorable laughs in the world
4. The fan that sits in the bedroom window an night to cool the room down and help keep the mosquitoes away
5. The little shops on most streets with water bags and Fan Ice (little ice cream pouches)
6. The sweet, juicy mangoes we eat every day!
7. The dog, Arthur, who keeps the thieves away
8. The fact that most people here can speak English, but are also patient with me as I try to learn Twi
9. The humidity that keeps my skin from going dry

I definitely have more than 9 things to be grateful for, so these are simply a few ("few" can be more than "3"... right?)  In short, I am grateful for the times the power goes out as it gives me a chance to reflect on my blessings and give thanks.