Water

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Genesis 1:1-2

From the very beginning, there has been water.  I'd never really paid much attention to that before.  But I think there is something very spiritual about water.  It is of God.  Jesus is the Living Water. And God created in us a need for water....both physically and spiritually.  It is an absolute necessity for life.  

In Uganda, for the first time in my entire life, I realized how precious water is.  Here in America, we take water for granted.  I waste water all the time.  Even living in a region that recently experienced a terrible drought, I never went without water.  I'm not saying people here don't suffer due to lack of rain....certainly there are people who lose their farms, have to sell off their cattle....even I had to pay more money at HEB for my groceries because of the drought. But I can truly say that I never went thirsty, even through all those months without rain. In fact, I'm pretty sure every store I went to still had a public drinking fountain for whomever was in need.  And every public building.  And every park.  In every home....the faucets never stopped working.  

In Uganda, water is a treasure.  Safe, clean drinking water is so valuable.  I met so many children whose bellies were full of parasitic worms from drinking dirty water.  From having no choice but to drink water that was bad for them.  


The team always loaded up on filtered and bottled water every morning, before heading out for the day.  We always had our water bottles in our backpack, and frequently drank from them, as we worked and played outside throughout the day.  Even though we would sometimes spend hours working with the same group of kids, I can honestly say I never saw one of them drink.  None of them carried around a water bottle.  None of them ran into their huts for a quick drink, to turn on the faucet and fill up their cup.  Water was not readily available for them.  

What I did see was children carrying around jerry cans.  Either on their way to fetch water, or walking to bring it home for their family.  I saw young girls filling up their cans on the edge of Lake Victoria.  A lake filled with raw sewage.  

One of the more heartbreaking moments from the trip was in Wakisi.  This village was so beautiful.  And the day we spent there overflowed with God's goodness and grace.  We had so many joyful moments with the beautiful people there.  The village has two young teachers who come into the village every weekday to teach some of the children.  Their names are Charles and Michelle. (easy names to remember...one being mine and the other the same as my dad!)  Both of them were incredibly warm and welcoming to us.  I talked to them about their lives and their teaching.  It was so funny to see Michelle dressed in a long-sleeve sweater, wool skirt and knit hat.  We were sweating in the 80+ degree weather, but since it is their winter season, she was felt cool.  

At the end of our day there, Michelle pulled me aside and asked if we had an extra water bottle to share with her.  My heart sank.  She was thirsty.  And even though I probably could've found an extra bottle of water, I knew I could not give her one.  For several reasons, it would've caused more harm than good to give her one.  So I didn't.  I had to tell her no.  It hurt my heart.  Her request was so simple.  

Their need is so basic.  Not easy, but basic.  Water.

Now, I think about those sweet, thirsty people when I turn on my faucets.  I feel guilty when I pour clean, healthy water down the drain.  I hate that they suffer, and I have an endless supply.  

my bottomless water bottle...with babies praising God in the background

 classroom under a tree

 singing "Father Abraham...had many sons.  I am one of them and so are you!"

 the real heroes...Tressie & Elyse washing and Emma, Kari & Megan digging to help those poor feet

sharing pictures of my babies with the mamas and jajas of the village

 Lovin' on this sweet baby named Mulani.  He stole my heart...and then wouldn't let go...literally. :)

 One of our team members speaking to the two teachers I told you about...Michelle & Charles

 these precious girls danced so beautifully for us

so we wanted to learn how

they tried to teach us...:)

 And one of them even loaned me her hip wrap...but I still couldn't imitate them.  But it was fun trying!! :)

 i love this picture...we were singing, "He's got the whole world in His Hands."

This is so easy....so joyful

  Dawson and one of his many Ugandan fan clubs :)