Woe is my computer

July 15th.

That is the day that I head back to Tanzania.

That is when I will say goodbye to the States and all the wonderful people and amenities that it affords for another term overseas with Wycliffe.

That is also the day by which I hope my computer will be wholly functional once again.

My computer had been working flawlessly for about 4 years, it left me wanting for nothing. About two months ago its heart (I hear that some people call it “the battery”) began to fail. In the span of two weeks it went from having hours of life in it, to having about three minutes. This has left me tethered to the wall due to the constant need of AC power.

I quickly recognized that I must procure a new heart for my computer because while electricity tends to be consistent in America, that is not the case in Tanzania. Feeling empowered by some of the “do it yourself” aspects of my life in Tanzania I ordered a battery from Amazon and figured I could manage the install...that was two months ago, and I am still tethered to the wall.

The saga (to date) is as follows:

1. I ordered the wrong battery the first time (my fault for lack of attention to detail). Thankfully I was able to return that battery and get a refund.

2. When I opened the bottom of the computer I discovered that a “tri-wing” screwdriver was needed for the extraction of the old battery.

I found this online, apparently I am not the only one that finds this ridiculous.

3. I ordered another battery and the necessary screwdriver.

4. The battery came promptly and looked to be the correct one.

5. The screwdriver did not come for three weeks - and it was the wrong screwdriver (it had 6 tips...I didn’t know these types of screwdrivers existed!)

6. The company sent me the correct ‘tri-wing’ screwdriver, but it missed me by one week. I was in Dallas when it arrived in Tulsa.

This "facepalm" picture would aptly fit each of the remaining points.

7. When I finally was able to get the old battery out I realized I had actually received the wrong new battery. It was about a millimeter too big, I was told it was probably the battery for the same computer but a different year of production. (REALLY???)

8. The deadline for receiving a refund for the second incorrect battery expired 8 days before I realized it was the wrong battery.

9. I admitted defeat (after a computer person helped me realize the really truly correct battery wasn’t available online) and ordered one through an official Mac computer vendor and (fingers crossed) will get it later this week.

10. I laid face-down on my bed and whimpered for a bit about the frustration associated with computer heart failure.

I am so grateful that I’ve been in the States for this whole ordeal. God is so good to time the heart failure of my computer with my time in the States. I can't imagine how much more frustrating this would have been had I been in Musoma.

Hopefully, when the battery is replaced my USB ports (which stopped working this past week) will work again and the computer will be ready and geared up for another three years in Tanzania!

Since frustration unleashes a dramatic side of me here is a final picture of me loving my computer and encouraging it to be healthy and strong, for the both of us.