Beginnings

    Day Two:  No headaches today, but this is going to be harder than I first thought it would be. I will just keep in mind that Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days, Noah sat in that Ark for 40 days, Elijah walked to Mount Horeb for 40 days and not to mention the Israelites who wondered the desert for 40 years. 


      How do you Begin your day? Everyone by now knows how I start my morning and over 54% of Americans drink coffee daily as the start of their morning routine as well. In countries with little access to clean water, most women begin their day by taking empty water containers to the closest water source. In many areas in Africa, these treks can be five, ten, even twenty miles long depending on the region and the season. After hours of walking, these women will likely wait in line for another several hours to fill up their containers (usually 10-20 liters; which weigh 22 to 44 pounds) and carry them the long distance home.

This is a world vision sponsored video called "In Sabina's Shoes" where a journalist named Kari Constanza follows an African wife and mother for a day.  It's a little lengthy but well worth the watch!

    Instead of beginning their day at school, many children are also needed on these long journeys to provide water for the family. When it comes down to choosing between education or fetching water, water always wins. It’s needed for survival.

Water is a scarce and therefore an often exploited commodity in these areas. Because those responsible for gathering water – women and children – are also the most vulnerable, they’re subjected to sexual assault and robbery. The roads are almost always unpaved and the terrain can be dangerous due to landscape or wildlife. Over the course of time, carrying this amount of weight repeatedly causes various bone and joint issues that produce complications during pregnancies or later on in life, preventing these women from gathering water in the future.

    However, women and children have no choice. Their families need them to make these daily sacrifices in order to get water and survive.

      As you begin 40 Days of Water, think about how you begin your day. As you give your coffee pot a forlorn look as you pass it by, allow your mind to wander to the other side of the world. Imagine waking up and beginning the day with an arduous and dangerous task that you have no choice in doing. Think of the weight these women and children carry – not only physically, but emotionally as well.

Reflection #2: Today, be grateful that clean water is only at most, a few feet away from you and that you have the opportunity to help lessen the load these women and children bear. Pray for them today.

Written by Anne Jackson and Friends of Blood:Water Mission