Jesus and the Shower

I am a simple girl. A simple city girl. A simple city girl that lives a little bit in the country.
I have learned about unlimited water that comes from a community well and cost $100 a year.
I have learned about septic systems and maintaining them.
I have learned that some people loose water every time the power goes out, and a toilet will flush with about 1/2 a gallon of bottled water.
I have learned about water softeners and water filtration systems.

Water - I take it for granted.
Fray has water every other day for 4 hours.
Maguila has a river near by and a well at the school, a hand crank well.
No running water at the homes, and no electricity either.
No one has hot water.
No dish washers. No washing machines...just hands, soap and hard work.

This was our shower head at the hotel in Fray.
The water was never more than not freezing.
It is hard to keep water out of your mouth when the water is so cold it takes your breath away.
Matt did offer that first night at the hotel to try and adjust the "heater" so that I might not shake uncontrollably while trying to wash my hair, but he couldn't promise that we both wouldn't die in the process... Jesus and I talked a lot during those showers.

It was hot.
We got very thirsty and very dirty.
It is the dry season in Northern Guatemala.
For us it was a week or so of "lifestyle adjustment", but for my new friends this is just life.
Their water did not mix well with our stomachs, so we bought the bottled stuff or purified what was on hand. We looked out for each other. If you got one bottle out of the cooler, then you got 4 or 5 or 10.
Water is life, water is health. I can't make you drink, but I can make sure you have the choice.
Our bus driver often commented that we knew how to "share very well."

Several times I found my heart lingering on  the passage about the woman at the well - and the offer Jesus made. Living Water ~ you will never be thirsty again.

People are thirsty in Maguila. They are thirsty in my home town too.
Hearts dry and aching. Lives scorched by sin and the pain that it ultimately always will bring.

Fill my cup Lord, with your living water, and make me brave. I can share my water too, with Your help.