Spoiled

The insurance representative typing up the sticker for my car window so I don't get a ticket.

Years ago, our friend, Kim Ambrose, drove a kicky yellow VW Bug. She loved that car but when the mechanic finally said that she might want to consider a new car, she agonized. No one wants to spend money on a new car but for her the big question was, “Should I get AC in my new car?” These were the days when car AC was new. It wasn’t a matter of whether or not she needed AC but Kim had the wisdom to know that once she lived with AC in her car, she would never go back to NOT having AC.

It’s the creep of feeling like we “need” certain things to comfortably live our lives.

But today – I totally get it. Every time we return from the US, I’m reminded of how quickly our “thriving in Africa” muscle atrophies.

Its very easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed with issues that are truly “first world” problems. We’re surrounded by people with very modest homes. No running water. No electricity or certainly no reliable electricity. Few people have cars or a closet full of clothes. Smart phones and computers are a luxury.

So why then do I get short tempered when the power goes out (before our generator kicks on) or when I need to buy bottled water to even brush my teeth? I'm back in Uganda just over a week and my frustrations creep in. In the past few days ....

• I had go to a small back storage room at the Shell station to buy my new “insurance” for the car – The $20 annual fee for insurance doesn’t really insure anything other than our not having another reason for the police to ticket us.

• Scott had to go get a COVID test to sit in a meeting with the Ugandan President in two days. That sounds impressive but COVID is gone here and Scott will be sitting more than 100 meters from the guest of honor with some 500 other people, in a tent.

• Scott’s car was at the shop again last week when we were in Rwanda. The car was waiting for us when we returned. Three of the five things Scott wanted fixed were fixed. Two new things were not working when he went to drive it this morning (to the COVID test).

• I need to find someone to fix our tv, washer, lamp and fan that all just decided to stop working in the past three days.

• Scott needed to pay a “fixer” for transferring the ownership of our old car to the new owner one year after it was purchased …. The “fixer” registered it to the wrong email and wants more money to “fix” it. And the new owner needs it transferred so he can go buy insurance at the gas station so he doesn’t get a ticket from the police.

None of this is a big deal. Just little niggles that get irritating after a while. We have so much. It's so convicting to have these feelings when we are surrounded by people with so very little. I feel spoiled. I feel entitled. I feel like I’ve been living with AC for way too long.

But I really like AC.