When The Poor And Needy Seek Water...

Telma with 5 of her 6 kids.  

Last week the Living Waters for the World team was here in Huehue, installing more water purification systems.  My dear friend and leader of that team, Bob Swope, usually finds time in his busy schedule to come have an adventure with me on some terrible dirt road while he's here.  Bob's a very sociable guy and likes to visit and keep up with what is going on with Loving InDeed.  This time I took him up to Tuicogel where I teach the Bible study on Monday mornings, then we went a bit farther up to visit with Telma, one of my favorite LI widows. I've written about her before. Bob's mind is always on water wherever we go in Huehue, and Telma's house was no different.  It took no time at all for him to ask her where she got her water from.  Telma explained that she'd inherited a small plot of land from her father and worked very hard to be able to buy more land around it.  Her land stretches down the mountain into the valley below, but it is steep and rocky, which is why she was able to afford it all those years ago. She said she had a spring of sorts down in that ravine.  Bob's curiosity got the best of him, and he asked her if she'd show us the spring.  It was a looooong way down!

Even two year old Lorenzo  joined in the "fun" and was scrubbing a sock!
 Why is it that when kids are old enough to actually be useful,
 they cease to be interested?

When we finally arrived, we found that her two little girls, Claudia (12) and Yulisa (8) were down there washing clothes. (Video at bottom of the post.) There were actually two springs, and they use the smaller one that's farther downhill to wash clothes in. That one's only about 2 feet deep and as big around as the top of a big trash can.  The other one was a bit bigger around and probably 4 feet deep, which is still a good amount of water since rainy season is only just now beginning.  Telma explained to us that she allows families from all around her to use water from that spring, and she charges them nothing. She's just such a kind, generous soul!  Trying to get a feel for how much water the spring was producing, Bob asked her how long she'd been using it. Her response left us both with our mouths gaping open.

Telma using a big stick
to show us the depth of
her spring.

Telma said she'd bought this piece of land 9 years prior.  As she was exploring it, she found these holes, but they were dry.  Knowing she needed water to survive, she went to town, bought candles, went back into the ravine, lit the candles, and stayed there praying until God filled the holes with water.  She's never run out since.  It reminded us of the the widow in the OT whose oil never ran out. It took several moments for Bob and I to even know what to say. 

Isaiah 41:17   "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them."