The washing machine story.  Been saving this one.  I’ve been sitting in lectures all week about life skills training for orphans.  Not an interesting read.  So instead I’ll share a recent testimony about laundry.  No seriously, it’s a decent story.
When I first arrived in Kyiv, my roommate wanted to split the cost of buying a washing machine.  I turned him down, first because I didn’t know if I’d be here long enough to necessitate buying major appliances.  Second, I just didn’t want to spend the money.  I hadn’t figured out my budget yet.  So, for the first couple of months, I hand washed all my clothes.  Not fun, but going Amish was probably good for me.
Of course, that got old quick.  Then a Ukrainian friend made a funny suggestion.  Her friends at another base had washed their clothes in a crazy way.  Imagine how a washing machine agitator works, except make me the agitator.  (This actually would not be a new role for me)  Hmm, it’s easier to explain this step by step:

1. Fill bathtub with water for wash cycle.  


2. Add laundry detergent


3. Put dirty clothes in tub.  Note:  Don’t exceed the clothesline limit


4. Take off socks and climb in bathtub


5. Slosh through dirty clothes for 10 to 15 minutes then drain dirty water.


6. Pour new clean water into tub for rinse cycle.


7. Slosh around washed clothes for another 5 minutes.


8. Drain tub, wring out clothes and hang on line.


9. Note:  Not for use with delicates.  Ha!  Delicates?  No such thing in my wardrobe.

First time I did this, I laughed myself silly.  “Markus,” I said, “You are such a hillbilly.”  And I was.  But outside of wringing out the clothes, laundry was really quite fun.  During future loads, I started up the Media Monkey on my computer so I could splash around to my favorite tunes.
Being the wise little financial planner I am, (thanks Larry Ameling) every time I did laundry, I put a little money in an envelope for the day that I grew tired of the Grape Stomp Laundry Method. (© 2005, pat pending)  This way, I would lessen the economic pain when I made the purchase.
Finally one day in July I decided that I wouldn’t want to GSL anymore come November.  I would buy a real washing machine in the fall.  To say my apartment gets cold in the winter is a bit like saying Fruity Pebbles cereal is bad for you.  It’s technically an accurate statement but the adjective doesn’t touch the magnitude of it all.  I had a good nest egg (two-thirds of my share) set aside for a machine and told my roommate I was nearly ready to make the plunge. (pun intended)
But within a couple days, I got a message from Nurlan.  Would we like a washing machine?  They had one in an apartment that they’re no longer renting, and have no place to put it.  God blessed me with a free washing machine.  I never even prayed for one!
I lugged our “new” machine up to our apartment the day before I left for the states.  Didn’t even have time to hook it up.  Now, of course I use it all the time.  I’m told by some female that the only downside is that I’m no longer getting my feet exfoliated.  I don’t even know what that means.  Girls are weird.

¶ 12:33 PM

 Markus said...
You like that?

Can I tell you how I've been studying Russian? I bought Monsters Inc in Russian and I've been writing down the subtitles and making lists from the words I don't know. The upside is that it's the most enjoyable Russian lessons of my life. The downside is that words and phrases such as 'reptile,' 'tentacle,' and 'simulation terminated' don't come up very often in conversation.  

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