Bonnie Gouge, Regional Director for South America and IberiaApril-June 2016
“May I help you with something?” the clerk at the store asked with a smile on his face.
“I certainly hope so. I am looking for a washing machine. Do you have any models that are top loading and agitating?” was my quick, well-thought-out response.
“No, I’m sorry, we don’t carry that style of machine. Most of our machines are European-style front-loading washers.”
I should have just hit the replay button instead of looking all over Córdoba, Argentina, for a top-loading agitating washing machine, because the reply was always the same. “No, we don’t carry that style of machine. But you should try one of our front-loading washers!”
I really did not want to try one of their nice front-loading European-style washing machines. I wanted my Maytag, or something similar—something that would wash clothes the right way! I was looking for something that was familiar, that would do the job right.
After all, everyone knows that Maytag is the best! I would have even settled for a Brazilian model—at least it was top loading and would wash clothes the way they were meant to be washed. I was facing enough changes as I moved after 24 years in Bolivia to Argentina; surely I could at least stay within my comfort zone when I washed clothes! But, my sojourn through Córdoba soon revealed that top-loading washers, be they Maytag or Whirlpool or Brazilian, just were not to be found! Finally, after befriending all the appliance sales clerks around, I realized that I would just have to step out of my comfort zone and plunge right into a front-loading washing machine.
Finally, after days of searching and researching, my front-loading washer arrived! Hurray! Now, to put it to the test.
Front-loading washers are not made to facilitate meddling. No adding clothes after the cycle has started. No pulling out those blue jeans to see if the grass stain is coming out or if it needs an extra scrub. Just set it up and let it go, trusting the machine to do the work. And…much to my surprise, it did the work without my meddling. And the clothes were actually cleaner—old stains my Maytag couldn’t touch seemed to disappear in the longer tumble wash cycle.
Imagine that—I found that the new and different actually worked! My personal comfort zone and my way of doing things are not always the best. I learned that I can trust the new and the different and allow God to bring something better into my life.
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