If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the
Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.
Mark 9:41
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Have you ever had one of those serendipitous moments where all these circumstances seem to line up so perfectly that it just doesn't seem possible that it's all coincidence? I had one of those moments the other day. Thursday night I had the opportunity to listen to a missionary family from Thailand share a bit about their ministry and themselves. It was so eye opening and interesting to hear them speak, but one of the most interesting things that stood out to me from the night was actually something that was almost said in passing. I don't remember how the conversation came about, but at some point in the midst of sharing, the comment was made that the next world war will most likely be fought over water. I thought that was so crazy... Water... Such a simple thing... Could it really cause a war?!
Then yesterday morning I got up and decided to spend some time reading "The hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns and wouldn't you know it, the very first section I read was all about water! In fact, the section was talking about how important it is for people to have water to sustain their brain and muscle function and how in third world countries people will spend hours walking from their villages and back just to get it. Yet the water available to them is just as harmful for them to drink as it is not to have it since the water is dirty and filled with all sorts of parasites. . There was even a father from Africa who was quoted in the book saying, "...if you take away water and sanitation, you take away my health and that of my children. If you take away my health, you have taken away my energy and my industry. If you take away my energy and my ability to support my family, you have taken away my dignity; and if you have taken away my dignity, you have taken away hope- for the future, for my children, for a better life". I couldn't help but sit there after reading that and think back to the night before and how after the comment about a war over water was made, the missionaries son commented how funny it is to him how people in America don't even really drink water...it's all soda and juice and what not... while others work so hard to get it. When you think about it, it's quite heart wrenching to think we live in a day and age where the poor are literally killing themselves to get the very thing we in America take so for granted. Something as simple as Water.
To be honest, I really don't think too much about water. I mean I drink it and I try not to waste it..and on a small scale I see it's importance....but then yesterday we had our plumber show up to fix one of the pipes in our house and he turned off our water supply to do so. All of a sudden, I couldn't fill up my water jug, I couldn't flush my toilet, I couldn't even use water to gargle the toothpaste out of my mouth. In the course of a couple hours I realized just how dependent I am...and we all are... on water and how much I truly do take having safe, clean water that's immediately available to me for granted. So I get it....maybe not completely....maybe not as much as I will some other day....but I get it more than I did yesterday and I can honestly see how such a simple thing has water could start a war. So today I pray for the people who don't have access to it and for those in organizations like the Blood Water Mission (http://www.bloodwatermission.com/), Walking 4 Water (http://www.walking4water.org), and Living Water International (http://www.water.cc/) as they work to close the gap between the have's and the have not's and provide safe, clean, water to people all around the world! May our small efforts combined bring glory to the father and healing to the world in need!
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