I spent some time out in Massai land last weekend and it was all-consuming. There is a whole lot of nothin’ out there. Miles upon miles of land untouched by human hands. Land with snakes, ants, thorn trees, bugs, ponds, birds, and dirt. Even though I only wandered around away from camp for a couple of hours, I felt like I was on the show “Naked and Afraid.” I’m not sure I would make it through the first night on that show. My two hours of exploring the countryside without any water left me longing, with a very dry throat, for a drink of water!
Water is SO vital. I often drink 80 – 120 oz of water a day. I feel my best when I drink a lot of water because water does so much for your body. Water helps your liver and kidneys detox waste from your body. Drinking water gives you higher energy levels and healthy brain function along with a lot of other benefits I won’t take time to list.
Something I will be highly passionate about for the rest of my life is everyone having clean drinking water. Everyone. No one should live without filtered, parasite free drinking water. Along with clean drinking water, everyone should hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Only He can quench the thirst your soul longs for.
780 million people don’t have clean drinking water and the World Health Organization states that every year more than 3.4 million people die worldwide from diseases caused by unclean water.
It truly amazes me to think about what I can live without. I take my phone with me everywhere because I’m super sentimental and will take a picture of just about anything, but not once while I was gone did I long for Wi-Fi nor the ability to make a phone call or send a text. Now, I will say I was only gone for 24 hours and that’s pretty much just a blink of an eye, but when I look back on that weekend and remember the laughs shared with friends and moments of silence taking in all God has created, I believe I am starting to have a better understanding of what Paul was talking about in Philippians 4:12.
“I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”
I know I live with much more than I deserve or even need. There are things of this world that make life a whole lot easier like being able to call home and chat with friends and family. That is literally a blessing from God himself. But, these comforts should never take away from Jesus sustaining you.
The picture below is what got me thinking about all of this in the first place. A simple white bucket located out in a bathroom overlooking Massai land where the water runs from the bucket to a bowl you empty by hand. This is where I brushed my teeth, washed my hands and face, and thanked God for clean drinking water and all of life’s comforts He has given me.
Count your blessings and don’t forget clean drinking water, the good news of Christ, education, and health care. Most everything else in this world is a comfort that replaces the need for us to allow Jesus to bring comfort.
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