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Water at the Byerlys'

Voice from Tanzania: Water Stories

Water stories: 1

This story is reality for many women around the world. Recently, the mostly unreliable public water source in Same became even more unreliable! The women are traveling all around searching for this precious commodity, even to the extent of sending their children to our home to ask for a bucket full.

As you can imagine, it is difficult for me to say no, although I have been advised to send them to my Tanzanian neighbors’ homes. This advice was given for several reasons: 1) our protection of not allowing lots of people to see our home, 2) because we don’t know who belongs to which family (some people are sending multiple members of their families for water and probably selling it to their neighbors), and 3) to protect the limited supply that feeds all the homes in our neighborhood.
Can you begin to fathom how it feels to be doing laundry, dishes, or bathing when almost the entire community does not have water to cook the evening meal? These days I am acutely aware of my water usage and sometimes take a few extra steps to dump the water on my garden instead of down the drain.
When one is among an entire community in need and is the one with the needed resources, it is heart-wrenching to not be able to do more.

As a Tanzanian friend of mine explained one day, God hears the prayers of the afflicted and places them on someone’s heart. I pray that each person touched by the Holy Spirit of God finds a way to be God’s hands and feet; one step, one gentle touch, one smile at a time.

Water stories: 2

On page 78 of the book Jesus CEO: “Jesus did not spend his time creating operations manuals that could be franchised and duplicated by the millions, He hurried to see a little girl who was sick, focusing only on getting her well; he knew that one boy’s loaf of bread had all the ingredients necessary to feed thousands. He did not despise the little things.”

Study guide question: What deed of yours today would you want to see multiplied?

Jan. 27 answer:
1) Love shown to two small children in the market
2) The giving of water to two requests at our door.

How is it that I experienced these two events — not only in one day, but on the day I read the words from Jesus CEO? What would I want to see multiplied? Sharing Christ’s love with others… “just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40

Going to the market is not on the top of my favorites list, but after today it has moved up! Two of the most charming children greeted me with so much love and curiosity. They giggled when most cry. They allowed me to hold them when most would run away. They followed me, pinched me, and held onto my legs in an honest expression of love. For those of you who are mothers, this is not an awe-inspiring moment. It happens to you quite often. But to a childless woman, this act of touching and holding on meant more than any words of welcome.

Later in the day, I hear hodi, hodi at our door and recognize Elisi’s voice. I see she has a friend with her. Elisi asks for water, which she has never done before. At first I think nothing of it and get her some water. Elisi drinks first and then her friend drinks three cups in a row. Elisi has one final small drink before they say thank you and good bye. I believe that Elisi knew I would help her friend and therefore brought him by.

Later the same day, another hodi, hodi at the front door. I answer to find a young girl dressed in her school clothes, all alone. I have not seen this girl before and wonder what brings her to my door. We exchange good afternoons. Then she asked, Naomba kunywa maji (I ask for a drink of water)! How can this be? A stranger to me has the courage and strength to knock on my door for water. Is the word out on the street — free drinks at the Byerlys’? I don’t think so. I believe these children had the courage to ask a total stranger for water because God gave them the strength and led them to me.

A drink of water — something so minor and yet so major — for how does one live without water?
If the word is out, so be it: FREE DRINKS AT THE BYERLYS’!

Water stories: 3

I cannot express the crisis the lack of water causes anywhere more accurately and compellingly as the following paragraphs from The End of Poverty:

“One recent report from the slums of Mumbai and Pune, India, speaks plainly to how the lack of basic infrastructure, in this case safe drinking water, has devastating consequences on the dignity and physical well-being of women:

“It is typically women who collect water from public standpipes, often queuing for long periods in the process and having to get up very early or go late at night to get the water. It is typically women who have to carry heavy water containers over long distances and on slippery slopes. It is typically women who have to make do with the often inadequate water supplies to clean the home, prepare the food, wash the utensils, do the laundry and bathe the children. It is also women who have to scrounge, buy or beg for water, particularly when their usual sources run dry. It is important not to underestimate this side of the water burden.

“There are no compelling international statistics, comparable to health statistics, documenting the labor burdens related to inadequate water provisions. It is difficult for those who have never had to rely on public or other people’s taps to appreciate how humiliating, tiring, stressful and inconvenient this can be. Not having toilets, or having to wait in long queues to use filthy toilets, carries health risks and is also a source of anxiety.”

Water addendum, July 18: Mary, I have some great news! The government finally fulfilled its promise to bring a new pump for the water system of Same. It has been installed and is working. Thank God for this. The people can now rest assured that each day there will be water for them at the pumping station.

Praying for grace

Recently I was experiencing cultural exhaustion and searched for the Serenity Prayer. I knew I needed to read it and to let it enter my being.

I found, online, that the prayer was written by Reinhold Niebuhr and later changed to its current translation. The original prayer reads: God, give us grace to accept With serenity the things That cannot be changed, Courage to change the things Which should be changed, And the wisdom to Distinguish the one from The other.

When one lives in or works with another culture, this prayer says it all!

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"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.