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This story took place last weekend.
“Mom, I was freezing last night. I was like shivering!” Pierre said to me as he jumped on my bed in the early morning hours to wake me up.
“Me too,” I told him laughing. “Look at me. Mommy looks like a snowman in an igloo!”
I crawled out of bed, out of the warm fleece sheets piled high with four blankets. I didn’t want to. The house felt like an icebox.
It was Sunday morning. Only 24 more hours until we could hopefully replenish our supply of fuel for our gas heater.
Until then . . . we were experiencing bitter COLD in our home!
Red Mark!
Vincent traveled to Paris last weekend to visit his parents. When he returned home on Monday, he noticed that the gas heater in the basement was nearing the RED mark—indicating there was no more fuel.
“I need to go and order more fuel this week,” he told me. “We are running low.”
“It’s expensive, isn’t it?” I asked him.
This would be the third time that the fuel truck would have to come to our house, pull up next to the garage entrance, and bring in a large hose attached to the small truck. In a matter of 5 minutes, the task would be complete. The truck would deliver 300 liters of fuel into our gas heater tank for a whopping 237 euros ($261).
It was only mid-January, so this probably wouldn’t be the last “fill up.”
This type of heating in a home was new to me. I had experienced gas furnaces (U.S.), electric radiators (France and Morocco), fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves. But, I had never had a man come to the house with a truck and a hose to fill up our gas heater.
Not Antarctica—But Close
Right now, it’s winter in Spain, and yes, it gets cold! During the day, we are averaging 6-10 degrees C (in the 40s F), but at night, it’s getting down between -2 and -5 degrees C (in the 30s F).
It’s not Antarctica weather, but it’s still cold. The houses in Spain are built to keep cool during the hot summer months (even though we have to live in a “cave.”) There’s no carpet, and the floors are tile and marble.
That’s great in the summer, but not great in the winter—especially if you don’t have fuel to heat your home!
The Saturday Surprise
Yesterday was Saturday. When we came home late morning from Pierre’s early morning soccer game, we walked into the house. It was cold, and I mean cold. I went to turn up the heat on the thermostat, and it didn’t click on.
“The heat must be off again,” I told Vincent.
This happened regularly at our house. The heater would just shut off suddenly, start making a loud banging noise, and then begin blowing steam out the top. It scared me to death the first time. I thought the house would blow!
This time was different. Vincent went into the basement to turn the gas heater tank back on, but it didn’t start.
“The dial is ON red now,” he said as he walked upstairs from the basement. “That went down really fast! I had planned to go to order fuel on Monday, but I guess I better go now.”
We’re Closed
He ran out the door quickly, hoping to catch the fuel man before businesses closed at 2 p.m. for lunch.
Vincent was gone a very long time. He made his round to as many different fuel companies as he could find, ready to use his broken Spanish to explain our urgent situation. Unfortunately, he didn’t find a single company open.
“Looks like we will be without heat until Monday,” he said as he walked through the door. “We have just enough fuel to keep for hot showers.”
My vote would have been to use the heat sparingly and not take showers until Monday—or shower at a friend’s house. However, the others voted for hot showers.
“Just put on an extra sweatshirt,” Vincent said. “We can experience what life is like for the homeless who have to sleep outside on the streets with no heat.”
Those comments did not impress my boys. However, that night during dinner, our family decided that we should be thankful that we have a roof over our heads, clothes, and blankets.
Many people on the street don’t have anything.
Sweatshirts and Blankets
Even Timothee, who is always in t-shirts, was freezing last night. He wore a sweatshirt at the dinner table. I wore a blanket draped around my shoulders—looking like a queen in her robe.
It was really cold in the house.
Last night, I wore thermal underwear (top and bottom), thick, velvet-like pajama pants, a fleece sweatshirt, and then two really heavy fleece coats. On my feet were thick, fleece slipper socks.
I crawled in between our warm and cozy fleece bed sheets and piled four heavy blankets on top of me. I was still cold, so I stuck my head under the covers.
That helped a bit, and I actually fell asleep.
Right now, I am snuggled in my bed, inside the fleece sheets, and underneath the heavy blankets. It’s the only place where I can feel warmth in the house.
In 24 more hours, hopefully this will all be over!
As I write those words, I am reminded that this is a short-lived, temporary situation for our family in our home. For those on the streets, the cold and discomfort will most likely not end in 24 hours. In fact, they probably see no end in sight to their difficult circumstances.
How can I complain?
Optimistic
Instead, I will try to the look at the positive side of this situation . . .
—We are building empathy and compassion for the homeless who sleep in the streets—in the cold—all around the world.
—Our blood is circulating, so that makes us healthier!
—Once you have managed to crawl out from under the warm sheets and blankets, you are wide awake, ready to start your day!
—We are able to put to use some of our warm, winter clothes that have been lying dormant, stuck in the back of our closets (thermal underwear, sweaters, etc.).
—We may save some money during these 48 hours of not using fuel to heat our home.
What else? I will continue to write my list of things to be thankful for.
Until then, I’m going to crawl further under my fleece sheets, take a little nap, pray that tomorrow comes quickly, and that the fuel company is open on Monday!
Monday Afternoon
Even though Vincent pleaded with them and explained that his family had been without heat in the house for three days, there was no change of verdict.
We would have to wait this one out—hope and pray for heat.
At 4:15 p.m., the phone rang. The fuel truck was two minutes away. Hooray!
In a matter of 5 minutes, our heating problem was fixed. The gasoline heater tank was full to capacity. Vincent used the debit card to pay the 237 euro bill ($261).
We had to wait 30 minutes before turning on the heat, but . . .
We all slept well that night in a warm house.
Gratefulness fills our hearts for having a roof over our heads and a warm place to sleep. Our empathy, compassion, and heart of compassion have grown for the millions of people on the streets around the world who sleep in the freezing cold.
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—”THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
Have you ever experienced life on the streets in the cold, or have you ever had your heat go out in the dead of winter? How did you handle it? Did it build in you more compassion and empathy for the homeless? What can we do about it—volunteer, organize a winter clothes drive, etc.
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
