Washing Clothes Mexican Style
My oldest sister, Teresa, once told me if a disaster were to happen in America and we lost power, we would have a hard time dealing with it. Where in Mexico they would not know anything was wrong because so many of the homes don't even have electricity. I never realized how true that statement was until I visited Agua Prieta, Mexico this past December.
When I was in Mexico, a day would not go by where I would see women washing clothes, outside, by hand. It is not a sight I see in America, at least not where I live. I hate washing clothes, but when I think about washing clothes in my washing machine compared to washing clothes outside by hand, I realize I have it easy...way too easy!
So, when I seen this lady washing clothes outside and noticed how she was dressed, I was compelled to meet her. I walked away from painting the house we were building and introduced myself and got to know her.
Do you notice how pretty she is? Her hair is done, her make up is on and she is dressed like she is going out in her nice clothes. This is not how I would picture myself hand washing clothes outside, that is for sure.
I enjoyed my time talking with her and was happy she spoke English well enough to tell me her story and how she came to live in Agua Prieta. She said she used to live in Cananea where she owned a small grocery store and her husband was a police officer. She told how both her and her husband were so busy with their jobs and they didn't have time for their children. Her husband's job was getting dangerous because being a police officer in Mexico is nothing like being a police officer in America. Their lives were threatened daily by all the shooting. She worried about her husband's safety and her children because they were too busy to care for them.
They started going to a Baptist church where she stated that one Sunday the lesson was on the importance of being there for your children. And how mother's should stay home and take care of their children rather than working. So her husband quit his dangerous job and they sold their small store and moved.
They moved to Agua Prieta and bought bricks with the money they received from the sale of their store. They started building their small house, brick by brick. It took two years to get where they are today. They are still working on it and have some more work to do.
Her husband now teaches Karate and she is a stay at home mom. She said she is currently poor, but her children know God and now have a mother and father who can spend time and take care of them. When they lived in Cananea, her children did not know God and she said life was not good. She said she loves her life now and being poor is worth it and will never go back to what she had before. Her story touched me and I was moved by what she said.
She invited me in her home and took me on a tour. The floors were not carpeted, but was cold cement. The home reminded me of a garage with furniture. It was clean and the living room furniture appeared to be antique and pioneer like, but in good condition. Their bedrooms had blankets for doors and the bathroom had a shower area with a drain and a small 5-gallon bucket on the floor. She said she goes outside to fill the bucket with water, which is cold. Next to the toilet was the usual garbage can for used toilet paper. This was something I could not get used to and hated doing while I was there. At the back of the house was a very small room with a small (and I mean small) washing machine inside. I asked her why she was washing clothes outside if she had a washing machine. She explained it was broken and they had no water hook up for it anyway.
Here is a picture of her with her children. They had just come home from a church activity where they made these cute puppets. Her children were so cute. I gave each of them a quarter and they ran over to show their father. They later both ran back to me and said "Thank You" in perfect English. I will never forget this lovely mother and her cute children I visited while in Agua Prieta, Mexico. The sacrifice they made to make their lives better and closer to God was amazing and possibly unimaginable for myself. Yet I can't help but think how it has made me far more grateful for what I have and the time I spend with my children.
When I was in Mexico, a day would not go by where I would see women washing clothes, outside, by hand. It is not a sight I see in America, at least not where I live. I hate washing clothes, but when I think about washing clothes in my washing machine compared to washing clothes outside by hand, I realize I have it easy...way too easy!
So, when I seen this lady washing clothes outside and noticed how she was dressed, I was compelled to meet her. I walked away from painting the house we were building and introduced myself and got to know her.Do you notice how pretty she is? Her hair is done, her make up is on and she is dressed like she is going out in her nice clothes. This is not how I would picture myself hand washing clothes outside, that is for sure.
I enjoyed my time talking with her and was happy she spoke English well enough to tell me her story and how she came to live in Agua Prieta. She said she used to live in Cananea where she owned a small grocery store and her husband was a police officer. She told how both her and her husband were so busy with their jobs and they didn't have time for their children. Her husband's job was getting dangerous because being a police officer in Mexico is nothing like being a police officer in America. Their lives were threatened daily by all the shooting. She worried about her husband's safety and her children because they were too busy to care for them.
They started going to a Baptist church where she stated that one Sunday the lesson was on the importance of being there for your children. And how mother's should stay home and take care of their children rather than working. So her husband quit his dangerous job and they sold their small store and moved.
They moved to Agua Prieta and bought bricks with the money they received from the sale of their store. They started building their small house, brick by brick. It took two years to get where they are today. They are still working on it and have some more work to do.
Her husband now teaches Karate and she is a stay at home mom. She said she is currently poor, but her children know God and now have a mother and father who can spend time and take care of them. When they lived in Cananea, her children did not know God and she said life was not good. She said she loves her life now and being poor is worth it and will never go back to what she had before. Her story touched me and I was moved by what she said.
She invited me in her home and took me on a tour. The floors were not carpeted, but was cold cement. The home reminded me of a garage with furniture. It was clean and the living room furniture appeared to be antique and pioneer like, but in good condition. Their bedrooms had blankets for doors and the bathroom had a shower area with a drain and a small 5-gallon bucket on the floor. She said she goes outside to fill the bucket with water, which is cold. Next to the toilet was the usual garbage can for used toilet paper. This was something I could not get used to and hated doing while I was there. At the back of the house was a very small room with a small (and I mean small) washing machine inside. I asked her why she was washing clothes outside if she had a washing machine. She explained it was broken and they had no water hook up for it anyway.
Here is a picture of her with her children. They had just come home from a church activity where they made these cute puppets. Her children were so cute. I gave each of them a quarter and they ran over to show their father. They later both ran back to me and said "Thank You" in perfect English. I will never forget this lovely mother and her cute children I visited while in Agua Prieta, Mexico. The sacrifice they made to make their lives better and closer to God was amazing and possibly unimaginable for myself. Yet I can't help but think how it has made me far more grateful for what I have and the time I spend with my children.
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