Paul's World: Andrews Abroad Week 4: Turning on the Waterworks

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Something changes when a project is nearing completion. Perhaps you redouble your efforts in order to get it completed. Perhaps you take it easy and reflect on the season you've recently completed. This week, Kenny and I got to share in both of these emotions as two water projects were completed on this bush trip.

This is the basic process of a water point. Starting in lower left with just a pipe, mixing concrete, then the completed point in the upper right.

This is a very rare occurrence indeed. John 4:36-38 comes to mind: "Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

Water is turned on for the first time at Iwia.

These projects at Iwia and Mashient have been underway for several years and to be at the locations turning water on for these communities is really exciting. I didn't have any hard work to do on these trips. The worst part of it was simply walking around in the jungle heat. And what a walk it was! From one end to another as the crow flies it's nearly nine tenths of a mile from the supply to the farthest water point. Of course that's not how the piping can go as the supply has to be pumped with a solar pump up a steep hill to the storage tanks, then back down the hill into the community. At least it looks like most of this digging was done without having to fight through boulders, which is what had to happen in Iwia.

The true work of this trip was also accomplished as we were able to take some time at night to watch the Story of Jesus for Children. While there seemed to be some knowledge of who Jesus was at both villages, the reactions to the video were quite different between the two villages.
Since I hardly speak any Spanish, I'm not sure either reaction was better than the other, but one village was laughing and engaged in the video, while the other was more subdued and quiet. Either way, I felt like seeing the story of Jesus in this film made a big impact into their understanding of the life and time that Jesus lived in.

Some of the water points are very remote and difficult to access.

Jesus can seem distant to our modern way of living. We have so many conveniences, and communication is simple. It somehow seems easier to relate to Jesus feeding the 5000 with five loaves and two fish when your best village meal is cooked plantains and fish.

Even though the task of clean water is completed, the real work is yet to be done. They will need continued education in hand-washing and bodily cleanliness to improve their daily health. Most of all, they will be fed the Word and hopefully come to know the knowledge of the washing of sins offered through Christ's death and resurrection.