WASHING CLOTHES

After six months on a mission things are definitely in a routine. It seems like we do the same things over and over, and it is hard to find things to write about that are different. I realized that we have not talked about the everyday things of life that are different here for us and the missionaries.

It always seemed like my washer or dryer would go out just when a big holiday was coming or when all the kids would be home at the same time. Never seemed to fail. And of course I was always frustrated because I was inconvenienced for a few days waiting for repairs, parts or the delivery of a new machine.

I have gained a renewed appreciation for yet another luxury in my life while I have lived in Honduras....my washer and dryer.

Washing and drying clothes is quite a production here. Most people wash their clothes in an outside water basin known as a pila. This is a big concrete tub that contains water for the house. Sometimes this water is used for everything....they don't always have running water in the house. Some missionaries even need to carry water into the house in buckets for their showers. People scrub their clothes on a board and hang them up to dry. When we are at missionaries houses, it is not uncommon for us to see white shirts soaking in pails of clorox getting ready to wash. I have to say that the clothes are very clean....cleaner than I would have thought possible with just good old fashion man power. I have not had to wash this way....one of the blessings we have is a washer/dryer combo in our apartment. It was one of the selling points for me.

The pila in the back yard of one of the Elder's houses
They are lucky....they have a water tank

Elders Mautauma and Ingleby showing us how they
use the pila to wash their hair (and shower)

My biggest washing problem this week was leaving a pair of Wayne's pants in the dryer and forgetting about it....they were wrinkled and needed to be touched up!! Here is MY PILA!!