Convenience

So we have an over range microwave. Not an uncommon thing however the one we have had for what seems like a few short years has been twitchy for a while. Google sources would indicate that it has to do with moisture from boiling pots on the stove getting into the controls and sensors. My husband had dismantled it and cleaned the sensors in the past and it magically came back to life.
Not so this time.
Not an uncommon thing as it seems that appliances of the more recent years don't last as long as they used to. We talked about what/how to replace it and I was pretty adamant we do it that day. I found one at Lowes for an incredibly good price which was nice.
Now it really did need to be replaced and needed to be done quickly. We are preparing to sell our home and I am not thinking it will sell well with a dead microwave about the stove. But did it really need to be done at that moment?
While waiting for the clerk to find and pull my new microwave from the warehouse a lady came in and sat down and said, how long would you be able to do without your fridge. Seems they had ordered a fridge and it was supposed to be delivered that day and they got a call that it would be another 2 weeks. The question made me think.

When we go to Africa our kitchen will not have appliances like the first picture, I am thankful that my kitchen will likely have better walls then the second though likely small appliances like these and probably older.
I know from experience electricity in Malawi will be less then reliable. There will probably be regular enough electricity to keep the food in a refrigerator cool enough to be safe. I will probably have a microwave that is low powered but will cook oatmeal for me in the morning. I will have to bake cookies a few at a time in a small apartment size stove. I would never consider this adequate here. But I feel fortunate that our electricity is likely to be off only short periods of time that we will have a kitchen with a solid floor and running water that is relatively safe. We will have to filter our drinking and cooking water but no real concerns about showering etc.
So why do I find it so hard to live with less then ultimate convenience here?
I may never understand that, but I certainly find myself pretty shallow some days. This past Friday I read a couple of articles or essays written by Hudson Taylor. He set aside his feather bed and began to lead a simpler life immeadiatly when he felt called to China. He also began to exercise more and to pursue anything he could find to make him more ready for ministry in China.
So I think about this and wonder what else I should be doing to be more ready for our time in Malawi. I read and study, and we continue to eliminate belongings however it seems small compared to the great sacrifices pioneer missionaries made, heading to the field with belongings packed in a casket, being fairly certain they would not see their families again. I am as certain as is humanly possible that I will see my family again. I will be able to see pictures of our beautiful granddaughter as she grows and to hear her gurgles and first words via video
So this has more questions then answers. Things to ponder. Things to consider as we continue on our journey and know we will live a simpler life soon.