Recently I attended a church event for moms, and as part of their program, a different member shares each month about a missions organization that they support. The woman who shared did an excellent job as she shared about an organization that is close to her heart - and ours as well - Living Water International.
Living Water works to provide clean drinking water for those places in the world where it's simply not available. They drill and repair water wells, and they teach the people who use those wells about basic sanitation to prevent illness and how to maintain the wells into the future. We love this organization and have been on partner trips with them to Africa.
The speaker gave a passionate presentation on their work, and part of her presentation was a slideshow of pictures of the children who are impacted by the organization's work. "Some kids," she said, "have to spend their days going for water instead of going to school...some kids have to walk 6 miles for water that isn't even clean...some kids have to carry 40 pounds of water every day...some kids..."
And as she spoke, it made me think.
Those kids she was talking about? Those were my kids.
My kids went to get water from the wells. My kids took a long walk with their friends to pump water into bright yellow jerry cans. My kids, just this week, were just showing me how they carried those heavy water cans through muddy streets, in rain and shine. "Like this Mommy," they said. "Boy, it was sure heavy! And don't spill it because then you have to go back and do it again and you'll be in trouble. Whew." And then they sat down to show me how they took a rest after bringing it home. My kids, just yesterday, dug as deeply as they could in the sandbox at the park - knowing that water comes from the ground and wanting to see whether America water is deeper than Uganda water.
Some kids....
I'd never considered that when we partnered with this organization, we were doing more than serving some kids. We were serving somebody's kids. Somebody who aches to see their babies sick and dehydrated - again - from the water. Somebody who knows that it's the water that is making their children sick, but who can't do anything about it. Somebody who is really grateful to see them enjoy clean, clear water for the first time ever.
I'd also never considered how it will sound to my kids when they hear about some kids...it's odd to me, so I wonder how it will sound to their little ears as they grow up. There will probably be a mix of emotions as they hear about some kids and connect that to themselves and where they are now. I hope that we will all be able to share graciously and with humor. (Still, note to self: I need to follow up with them whenever we hear these kinds of presentations.)
The speaker ended with an invitation to tour the Living Water office so that our kids can see what some kids have to do, as a way to encourage them toward missions and compassion. "They can even see the dirty water and try carrying one of those heavy cans like some kids do in other places," she told us.
"How fun! Are you guys going to go?" someone asked at my table.
"I think they already know about it," I told them, "so we'll have to see." Some kids may prefer to play on a tire swing that day.
:)
Living Water works to provide clean drinking water for those places in the world where it's simply not available. They drill and repair water wells, and they teach the people who use those wells about basic sanitation to prevent illness and how to maintain the wells into the future. We love this organization and have been on partner trips with them to Africa.
The speaker gave a passionate presentation on their work, and part of her presentation was a slideshow of pictures of the children who are impacted by the organization's work. "Some kids," she said, "have to spend their days going for water instead of going to school...some kids have to walk 6 miles for water that isn't even clean...some kids have to carry 40 pounds of water every day...some kids..."
And as she spoke, it made me think.
Those kids she was talking about? Those were my kids.
My kids went to get water from the wells. My kids took a long walk with their friends to pump water into bright yellow jerry cans. My kids, just this week, were just showing me how they carried those heavy water cans through muddy streets, in rain and shine. "Like this Mommy," they said. "Boy, it was sure heavy! And don't spill it because then you have to go back and do it again and you'll be in trouble. Whew." And then they sat down to show me how they took a rest after bringing it home. My kids, just yesterday, dug as deeply as they could in the sandbox at the park - knowing that water comes from the ground and wanting to see whether America water is deeper than Uganda water.
Some kids....
I'd never considered that when we partnered with this organization, we were doing more than serving some kids. We were serving somebody's kids. Somebody who aches to see their babies sick and dehydrated - again - from the water. Somebody who knows that it's the water that is making their children sick, but who can't do anything about it. Somebody who is really grateful to see them enjoy clean, clear water for the first time ever.
I'd also never considered how it will sound to my kids when they hear about some kids...it's odd to me, so I wonder how it will sound to their little ears as they grow up. There will probably be a mix of emotions as they hear about some kids and connect that to themselves and where they are now. I hope that we will all be able to share graciously and with humor. (Still, note to self: I need to follow up with them whenever we hear these kinds of presentations.)
The speaker ended with an invitation to tour the Living Water office so that our kids can see what some kids have to do, as a way to encourage them toward missions and compassion. "They can even see the dirty water and try carrying one of those heavy cans like some kids do in other places," she told us.
"How fun! Are you guys going to go?" someone asked at my table.
"I think they already know about it," I told them, "so we'll have to see." Some kids may prefer to play on a tire swing that day.
:)
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