Water

And hear I am complaining or noting the weather. It this time of year that the earthquake hit Haiti last year and it shook us here. By us I mean Jen and Rachel and I. We had just moved to Drumblade from Cape Town and out in the country with no good internet access, hearing bits of news was devastating. I just kept thinking why such places of poverty, yes its natural disasters but also political and human disasters when you look at the differences that people go through in natural disasters.

Maybe it was because I have lived in Cuba and feel connected to the region and was in a new place feeling unconnected. Or maybe it just felt like every time I turned there was another disaster somewhere. Then when you know people where the disaster is it brings it home again. So at this time I have two strong things to share.

One is a remembrance of Sam Dixon and Clint Rabb from UMCOR and GBGM, all those in Haiti, all those affected by Cholera and all the other places that faced earthquakes last year.

And at this time it is for all the rain and flooding. For Australia, Brazil, parts of this country (South Africa). For all the people being displaced by flooding.

I think of how much rain is so important in all of our lives. At the centre I focused on water for the devotions and in our Nutrition and Hygiene class one week while I was teaching. I used a water study for groups written by Beth Norcross for some guidance. But we looked at all the major passages on water in the bible. We went through each and decided when was water life giving and used in a positive way for people, when it was used for the earth, and when was water destructive. It was one of my favorite devotions in fact and I am brought back to it now.

The truth is I live on the 7th story right now and in my head I can’t quite comprehend flooding here. I can’t comprehend it at my parent’s houses; yes water damage, but not evacuating where I live. I have thought about it many times, living on Islands, doing work in New Orleans, and thinking about water levels rising internationally and coastal areas and Island nations. But I can’t comprehend the feeling.

I sort of feel the way that saying goes about hunger. If only the places that needed water could get some and the places with too much had less.