May, 2013—We were travelling down a dry, dusty road in a truck that was carrying many gallons of water. Our destination? A remote village in Kenya. This region hadn’t seen rain for months on end, and we were carrying precious cargo.
As we pulled into the community, our team was greeted by two women. Their grins, spreading from ear to ear, surprised me.
“Why are you smiling?” I asked, intrigued by their joy.
“We have seen life,” one woman said to me. Her answer made me even more curious.
“What is this life you are talking about?” I asked.
“You Christians say that the Prophet Isa (Jesus) is the Living Water,” the woman replied. “We know that one day Isa will come and save us from our sins. When we saw the water truck, we also saw Him coming to save us.”
I was shocked by their response.
In a land afflicted by drought, I wasn’t surprised to be greeted with a warm reception when I brought water. It was their love for Jesus that blew me away.
You see, in this region of Kenya, Islam is the dominant religion. Though our water is always welcome, our faith is not always received as warmly. And yet Christ continues to overcome.
The Living Water breaks through language barriers, flows over cultural divides, and can soothe even a land parched by drought. Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:25, NIV).
By Christ’s power, we are able to serve those in need; and by His power, we are seeing an eternal impact. Today, two Kenyan women (among many other people in this region) are full of joy and hope because we gave them water in Jesus’ Name.
How is the Living Water moving in your own life today?
Save the life of a child or adult in a developing country by providing safe water along with health and hygiene education that will help protect them from deadly, but preventable, diseases. Simple and effective water filters, community wells and water storage solutions, and sanitation facilities can all drastically improve lives and open doors to share the eternal hope of Jesus Christ.