Seven Lake Flies

Last night I had seven lake flies in my hair before I went to take a shower. There’s a random fact for you! The lake flies only bother you at night if you are in a lighted area or carrying a light, so they’re really not so bad. During the day the only bugs that might bother you are ordinary flies, and they look exactly like flies in the US. There are some hornets and bumble bees, but I have yet to see anyone get stung (I hope it stays that way).

Another part of daily life here is keeping an eye on your water situation. The missionaries houses are supplied by well water. This works great most of the time. But for some reason Beth’s water tank was completely empty last night, even though the indicator said it was full, so something malfunctioned there. And for drinking water the missionaries have to buy filtered water from town. The other constant awareness for Beth and the staff is the water supply for the kids and workers. City water has not been reliable for several months now. A cistern was built to collect rainwater, but Tanzania is now in their dry season. So recently Tumaini has purchased truck-fulls of water driven here from town and pumped into the water tanks the kids draw from. Last night I got to experience pumping water up from the cistern and carrying it across the yard to the guesthouse in order to supply a new guest with water for bathing, toileting, and washing dishes. Yes, water is a big deal.

I am reminded of the conversation Jesus held with the woman at the well. Holding her water jar, she was used to walking to that well every day under the hot sun, and then she would hauling up a bucket full of water (that probably weighed at least 25 pounds), fill her water jar, then walk it all the way back home. And if one jar wasn’t enough for the household, then she’d do it all again. And if the water was dirty, it would have to sit for hours so that the dirt would separate out to the bottom. No wonder she wanted water from Jesus that would cure her thirst forever! I don’t think those who live with running water fully understand the desperation this woman felt, the amount of freedom this living, satisfying water would give to her life. He offered to her clean water that would never leave her thirsty: “Everyone who drinks of this [well] water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14 ESV).

We need water for our everyday living every bit as much as the Samaritan woman did, we just have an easier time getting it. However, acquiring Living Water is exactly the same for people today as it was for her: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
Do you have within you a spring of water welling up to eternal life? If so, then rejoice with me! If not, then listen to the words of Jesus and accept His invitation.