It’s dark this morning. The light which earlier bathed this room in yellow has retreated, and a thick layer of flannel clouds has rolled over the face of the sun. The contrast between the shadows is obscured, and a grey cast falls over earth and sky alike. One would imagine it to be the work of autumn’s hand — the lengthening shadows and shortening days — but here autumn does not arrive. Sticky air remains, and somehow the sun’s heat permeates the cloudy layer.

Day Eight (Favourite Chair) of the August Photo Challenge.

Inside, all has fallen quiet. The baby is now asleep, my cue to scramble into the shower and prepare for the day before she wakes up. But as soon as I stand in the tub and turn the faucet knob, I realize there’s no shower to be had. Apparently, the water in the area has been shut off. I instantly am irritated and am tempted to complain, but then I am convicted. Didn’t I just tweet about clean water in Uganda? How is that I could so quickly forget that in so many places around the world, clean water isn’t a given? A hot shower in the morning certainly isn’t a way of life for most.

I remember this, and I am convicted. Here I am, with cupboards full of food and a closet full of clothes. I’m sitting in an air-conditioned house typing on a shiny Mac drinking French-pressed coffee out of a pretty ceramic mug. My healthy baby is asleep in the next room, her tummy full of milk — and pumpkin, and quinoa, and banana, and avocado.

I am rich.

We are rich.

In the midst of all these overwhelming blessings, I think about my ridiculous complaints. I’m ashamed for complaining that Aveline has stretched out the neck of my tanks by pulling at them. I’m ashamed to admit I complain that she’s wearing out my shorts by spitting up on them so often. Ashamed, when I think of those who don’t even have an extra pair of clothes to change into.

If you follow me on Twitter (or Facebook, or G+), you’ve seen that I’ve been talking a lot about Africa this week. Let’s turn the talking into doing. There are three ways YOU can help.

ONE // GIVE A $1
Yesterday, I blogged about the Nakate fundraiser, in which you can give a dollar to help women and children in Uganda. Remember, the way this campaign works is that the money only goes to Uganda if the $2,000 goal is reached by the end of the week. If not, all the money is returned to the donors. Won’t you give a $1, or even consider giving $40, which will support one woman and her children for an entire month?

TWO // CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSET
Admit it. You have a whole bunch of unwanted clothes hanging in the back of your closet or smashed into the bottom drawer of your dresser. What if I told you that you could send those clothes, postage paid, to Sheila in Africa? She’s collecting clothes to raise money for the Tshedisa Institute, and if you contact her (leave a comment here), she’ll send you a shipping account number so you can get those clothes on their way. Did I mention you don’t even have to pay for shipping?

THREE // CLICK TO VOTE
Three Avocados, an organization which provides clean water to Ugandans though the sale of coffee, needs your vote to be able to team up with water.org. All it takes is just two clicks of the mouse — once on this page, and then again on the VOTE button.