World Water Day
by Rennae de Freitas
by Rennae de Freitas
In 1992, the UN General Assembly designated 22 March of each year as the World Day for Water. The Dominican Republic, like the majority of developing world countries, has serious problems with water supply.
Many people live without running water and for those who do, they must deal with the reality of constant water shortages. Also, like other majority world countries the running water is not potable which results in sickness and disease.
Dealing with this water issues in the country is a part of daily life and our ministry as we work to serve the needs of this country. Yet the issue that is of greatest concern to me is solving the problem of spiritual thirst. Jesus is the real answer to the world’s water problems not digging a well (not to minimize well-digging BRING IT ON!!!) Yet even with contaminated water I have seen God’s people live joyful abundant lives! You see it everywhere in this country. So my passionate quest is to get to the ones in this country who have the least access to living water. And my compassionate actions i.e. well digging and grocery giving, are the tangible demonstration of the eternal, rescuing and thirst quenching message that I am compelled to PROCLAIM.
Friday night I stood in the rain on a street corner with a group of shivering, scantily dressed girls huddled under cardboard boxes. They were there to sell their bodies. We were there to offer them water.
I put my arm around my new friend Luzmely*, three months pregnant holding a saturated piece of cardboard over her head. I asked her if she would trade her piece of cardboard for my umbrella. She smiled at my absurdity, but gladly made the trade.
My friend Rita told the story of the Samaritan woman and her encounter with Jesus. I was amazed at how these girls were totally captivated by the story. As Rita shared, cars stopped at the corner waiting for a girl to come to the car in order to be whisked away into the night. Yet the girls would not move; they wanted to hear the story. Meanwhile, I noticed that one car circled around three times!
It was like Jesus was there with us Friday night just like he was with the Samaritan woman—offering water! As the rain fell on us, we did what Jesus would do, we offered them water, but not contaminated water, not water that is always in short supply. We offered living water. And with all the rain, we all went home drenched, both literally and spiritually!
“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” --Jesus Christ
As a side note I would like to say that I was terrified when Vivian asked me to prepare the message we'd be sharing, I prayed so much that the Lord would help me and would put the exact words in my mouth that He'd wanted me to share with these women. As we stood there with the first group I asked them if they ever wondered why we were there and had been there for the past 3 fridays. I honestly wondered what they thoughtbecause each Friday we have been seeing God's hand working mightily right on that street on both corners, especially working in each and every one of us. I cannot wait to see how this ends or perhaps what the outcome of this evangelism ministry might be. My utmost desire is that God will be glorified and that if it is His will that these women may be saved and finally delivered from their present slavery, and finally begin using their bodies to glorify the Lord.
