Water = Life

¹¹ “Sir,” the Samaritan woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? ¹² Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
 ¹³ Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
 ¹⁵ The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
-  John 4:11-15


God uses water many times in his Word to us.  He tells us that we will only be satisfied when we drink from Him.  Even so, the Samaritan woman seems to miss Jesus's point again saying, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."  Often, when the lost's physical need for water is not satisfied, it can be very difficult to hear the words we are so desperately preaching.  


On Monday, June 13th, Josh embarks on a 9-hour bus ride to Managua, Nicaragua and another 2-3 hour ride to the province of Chinandega, Nicaragua to meet with descendants of the Miskito indians and Food for the Hungry, a Christian non-profit organization ministering to the community of Bayardo Arce.  Bayardo Arce is located on the outskirts of the city of Chinandega.  Most homes are constructed from scrap wood, cardboard and plastic with an outdoor latrine.  Families run small business ventures selling tortillas, fruit, water or other small items in the streets of the city to earn $2 - $3 per day, which is less than half of the cost of food to feed a family.  Rice, beans, and corn tortillas are the dietary staples, along with very limited amounts of fruits and vegetables because of the expense.  Regardless of the season, whether dry or rainy, the community's general health is poor due to poor hygiene, dust and dampness, or standing water that breeds mosquitoes.  They are connected to a municipal water system, with limited distribution spigots and no sewer system.  A nearby public health post has inadequate facilities for primary care or health promotion.  Common illnesses include malaria, dengue fever, anemia, malnutrition, respiratory infections and parasites.  Most of the school aged children attend one of two public schools (primary or secondary) located within 2 kilometers of the community for morning or afternoon classes. Because of economic needs of the family, some adolescents are required to skip school and help support the family. 


Critical issues in Bayardo Arce include the following:
The health of community members is generally poor because of the living standards of the community. The streets are very dirty and there are many mosquitos. Many people suffer from Malaria and Dengue fever. There are also many people that suffer from parasitic infections because of a lack of basic hygiene.  Many children especially suffer from malnutrition because they are not receiving basic nutrients in the food that they eat. Most families eat rice and beans but never any fruits, vegetables or meat.  About 50% of the community is unemployed and those that are employed are still barely able to provide a stable wage for their household.  There is not much emphasis on children's education in the community.  


This visit to the community is meant to be an exploratory trip to meet the people of this community and understand their needs as they pertain to the lack of consistent, clean water supply and a system to effectively and safely handle their excrement, wastewater, and trash.  This project is being pursued as a means to increase the overall health of the community in hopes that it will increase overall school attendance of the children of that community.  In ministering to the needs of the children, the hope is that this will open the door to Gospel to be heard.  Josh will be in Nicaragua until Thursday, June 16th.  Please join us in prayer for his safe travel, effective ministry, and soft-hearted reception of the community to our help in securing safe water for them to drink, a way to handle their waste, and ultimately the acceptance of the Jesus-founded love we hope to share through this project!  


Pray with us that the people of Chinandega would drink from well of Living Water!