I was listening to K-LOVE recently and they were talking about people in Rwanda who do not have clean water. Parents have to make the decision between giving their children water to drink that may make them sick, or to buy wood (which is expensive) in order to boil the water to make it drinkable. The little money they have would be spent on wood, instead of food, which creates another problem. K-LOVE was asking listeners to donate to Compassion International in order to provide filters so these families can have clean water for life.
As I sat in my car listening to this, I tried to imagine what it would be like to live in that kind of reality. I went over in my mind all of the times during my daily routine I use clean water that is right at my fingertips. I just couldn’t fathom the heartbreak of not having clean water to give to my child.
Then I started thinking about the joy these families must feel when they receive the water filter and realize they no longer have to worry about getting access to clean water. What a wonderful experience to be there and witness this organization being the hands and feet of Jesus – not only providing clean water for physical needs, but also sharing the Gospel with these same families.
In John 4:13 Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman at the well: Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Then the Holy Spirit gently reminded me…I don’t have to go to Rwanda in order to offer “the water of eternal life” to others. God has placed me in my own little mission field…in my neighborhood and in contact with certain people in order to do the very same thing. Sometimes in the busyness of life, it’s easy to forget that people we see everyday who do not know Jesus personally are thirsting for the water of eternal life that only comes from Him. As followers of Jesus, we are called to share the Gospel with them so that they, too, can experience true joy and freedom in Christ.
Melissa
well said, and amen! when you think about it, our mission field starts at home, and spreads to the groups of people He sends us to-right in our own front yard. it’s not so little after all :o)