Water is Life

Posted by: Liezl Pienaar on November 11, 2011 | Staff Blog

It is hot.  Incredibly hot.  On cool days the mercury rises to 37C (98.6F).  On warmer days it’s 42C (107.6) in the shade.  Most villagers seek out the relative coolness (more accurately the less-hotness) of the shade.  Nobody ventures out in this heat, much less work with heavy drill rigs.  But that’s exactly what a team from Overland Missions is doing.  Hot day in and hot day out they work, unrelenting, to get wells drilled in the neediest of villages.  They don’t even have the luxury of cold drinking water.  It’s lukewarm, but at least it quenches the thirst.  What motivates them to work like this?  A love for Jesus and a love for people.  They know that water is life, but Living Water means Everlasting Life.

This past week, the well-drilling team hit water in Sichilobe, one of the villages in Mukuni Chiefdom, where we work.  It was no easy feat. The first drill site had to be abandoned after they had a blow out under the surface.  They had trouble hitting water.  They drilled quite deep but couldn't find any water and had to quit for the day.  The team prayed that the LORD would let the water fill up over night.  The next day they started drilling and only got half way as far as they did the previous day and water began gushing out!

The headman wanted to show the team special honor.  Trey, one of the team members said, "No, it wasn't us who did this.  You saw yesterday there was no water, but we prayed that God would bring the water.  It was God that did this, not us"  The headman replied, "OH!  I am going to start going to church now and start praying everyday, if God takes care of us like this!"  Many people are seeing the great ways God is bringing them water.

Another well was successfully drilled in Nsongwe Village.  Next they move on to Nyawa Chiefdom, where more wells will be drilled.  It’s a race against time, to finish up before rainy season starts.

The team is short on time, short on money, yet they keep going, day after day.  They are unsung heroes, making an indescribable difference to the lives of these villagers, some of which had to walk 8 km a day to get clean(ish) drinking water.

Please continue to pray for them as they work under harsh circumstances.  Every day, they face immense challenges.  It clearly is a spiritual battle.  John 10:10 says: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Satan does not want these villagers to have water.  But God has won the victory.  He is the Living Water, giving Everlasting Life!