Cleaning is cleaning, right? Or is it? Living in the middle of the jungle in a mud and pole house with a palm roof and cement floors brought new methods of cleaning than I'd previously been accustomed to. For example, do you know how to seal a cement floor when chemical sealers are unavailable? I do now!
Kerosene and wax. You take those two ingredients, put them in a gallon-sized tin can over the gas burner on your stove and heat them until the wax melts. Then you're down on your hands and knees with a rag smearing your homemade cement sealer over the floor. And it really works!
Kerosene and wax melting on the gas burner? Really, it is safe. I did it many, many times. Of course, there was that one time...
The kitchen was buzzing with activity. A team was visiting to help with a project in the village. Several ladies were working on desserts. I had one twin on my hip and the other one crawling around my feet as I waited for the candles to melt into the kerosene. I wanted to get the floors done before lunch.
I glanced into the can to see how the candles were coming, then glanced at my watch. We were still on schedule. Juggling the twin on my hip I was clearing counters when the kerosene burst into flames. That was a first for me. Quickly I turned off the flame and topped the can in a successful attempt at smothering the fire.
Never having had that happen before I checked with more seasoned missionaries than myself. They said though it was not the norm, it could happen. That was enough for me. Back at the kitchen, I made sure no kerosene or wax was on the outside of the can, turned the flame back on and headed for a quick pit stop while the candles continued to melt.
Remember, this was a jungle house with jungle construction. The bathroom adjacent to the kitchen was one of the few rooms with a ceiling, but still there was a gap between the wall and the ceiling. It was through that gap that I suddenly saw flames licking upwards.
"Turn off the gas, then top that can!" I yelled out from the bathroom. Those in the kitchen complied.
Thankfully the wax was melted by then and I sealed the floors.
Around lunch time my husband arrived home and I told him the story. His response sent a shudder down my spine: "That wasn't kerosene, that was aviation fuel!"
Looking back at the can and knowing what I then knew, I could see the faint, mostly worn off markings that should have indicated that aviation fuel had been put into a kerosene can.
For the rest of the day I kept thanking God for protecting me from myself!
Kerosene and wax. You take those two ingredients, put them in a gallon-sized tin can over the gas burner on your stove and heat them until the wax melts. Then you're down on your hands and knees with a rag smearing your homemade cement sealer over the floor. And it really works!
Kerosene and wax melting on the gas burner? Really, it is safe. I did it many, many times. Of course, there was that one time...
The kitchen was buzzing with activity. A team was visiting to help with a project in the village. Several ladies were working on desserts. I had one twin on my hip and the other one crawling around my feet as I waited for the candles to melt into the kerosene. I wanted to get the floors done before lunch.
I glanced into the can to see how the candles were coming, then glanced at my watch. We were still on schedule. Juggling the twin on my hip I was clearing counters when the kerosene burst into flames. That was a first for me. Quickly I turned off the flame and topped the can in a successful attempt at smothering the fire.
Never having had that happen before I checked with more seasoned missionaries than myself. They said though it was not the norm, it could happen. That was enough for me. Back at the kitchen, I made sure no kerosene or wax was on the outside of the can, turned the flame back on and headed for a quick pit stop while the candles continued to melt.
Remember, this was a jungle house with jungle construction. The bathroom adjacent to the kitchen was one of the few rooms with a ceiling, but still there was a gap between the wall and the ceiling. It was through that gap that I suddenly saw flames licking upwards.
"Turn off the gas, then top that can!" I yelled out from the bathroom. Those in the kitchen complied.
Thankfully the wax was melted by then and I sealed the floors.
Around lunch time my husband arrived home and I told him the story. His response sent a shudder down my spine: "That wasn't kerosene, that was aviation fuel!"
Looking back at the can and knowing what I then knew, I could see the faint, mostly worn off markings that should have indicated that aviation fuel had been put into a kerosene can.
For the rest of the day I kept thanking God for protecting me from myself!
LOL! I was wondering what was happening. I used kerosene and candles all the time and never had it burst into flames!!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing the things we all survived!
A definite example of God's grace. He obviously still had a purpose for me on this earth!
ReplyDelete