What I learnt today

I was happily (sort of) ironing this morning as the lady who helps with cleaning once a week paused outside the room I was in. 'You iron during the day, Señora Karine?' 'Oh, I replied, 'if I have time, more often at night, when the kids are in bed'. She looked a little perturbed. 'When do you iron' I ask her. 'At night'. Oh. The thing is, she went on to explain, its dangerous to iron during the day. Why? I asked. Well, you will soon be cooking lunch, right? And you'll be washing up and using water. And the water will be cold, and even if it's warm water, all this water will make your body cold. And this is after the ironing has made your body all hot. And the end result of this will be that you will damage your hands. You will end up with twisted hands and wrists.

Oh. I could see her cause for concern. Do you know anyone that this has happened to? Yes, she replied. Oh. Do you think it could be arthritis? No way, this is different.

Who told you about not ironing during the day? My mum, my mother-in-law. All the women in our family iron on Friday nights, after we have definitely finished everything in the kitchen.

OK. There are so many beliefs and superstitions in this society that I have yet to learn. Each of them govern people's lives in such subtle ways, dictating even when ironing should happen. I pray that many will hear the gospel and enter into the freedom that comes from knowing Christ, and that it may be God's powerful word that governs lives.