Water

Francesca is a loving, generous and gracious woman, maybe in her 70's, who used to take in laundry for a living.  There are no social services here for the elderly, so there is no retirement and no safety net for the poor, sick, that have no family to take of them.  Last week a team of about 6, plus some youth from the Alonzo Movement did a service project for her.  (The Alonzo Movement is an organization of young people dedicated to teaching about Christ and preventing them from the dangers of drugs and gangs.)  Francesca has been quite ill for a period of time and things have literally piled up on her. Her tiny hut (maybe 8X10) was filled with plastic bags full of dirty and mildewed clothing she had meant to wash and sell.  Her ill health was now preventing her from completing this task.
    The team finished their task of emptying her house of unwanted clothes and junk and wanted to mop her cement floor and wash her dirty dishes and sheets..  But alas, there was not a drop of water in the house-not even to drink.  She had been too ill to leave her hut for some time and had no one who could/would get her water or to learn of her need.  The team bought her two 5 gallon jugs of drinking water and left her house cleaner than when they had arrived.  Sadly this scenario is more common than I would like to think about.
    An interesting thing happens here when the cisterns (called pilas) are empty-as they were this morning.   Amanda has found out that she can call the water company and call for a pick-up truck full of water that is then pumped by hose into the cistern in back of the house.  Then a pump inside the house pumps it to the pipes that furnish water for all the faucets.  The 2 big water containers in back of the pick up were emptied just now and it has gone back for more water. The cistern is only half full.  The pick-up truck has now returned and is pumping more water into our cistern.  The 2 large containers appear to be about 3X3X4-2 that fill completely the bed of the pick up.  I hope to find out from Amanda how much water the cistern can hold, and how much it costs.  Our household of 28 can now shower and the kitchen has plenty of water for cooking and washing dishes.  I can't help but think of Francesca and her need.  How different things are when there is money and resources.  Doesn't Francesca deserve the same?
    Because it is Lent and Suzy's devotional this morning  have me thinking about reconciliation, I am drawn to the image of water. A good symbol of reconciliation for me is that of water.  The Bible speaks eloquently of thirsting for water-in the desert, in our lives, and in our spirits.  How thankful I am that God's love reconciles me to him as water quenches thirst, and washes the soul clean.  How humbling to know that God's gift is free and available to all.