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Ron Writes

Jesus said, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (Mt. 10:42, NIV). Living in a part of the world with an abundance of water, it’s pretty easy to give someone a cup of water. But in a dry and arid land, where there is little water, it can become a lifesaving act.

Zimbabwe is in a drought and there are food shortages. Our brethren are struggling. What they need is water. Water is essential for life.

God willing, the Oregon City church will be raising the $10,000 it will take to dig a well on church property in Bazel Bridge, Zimbabwe. After only a few weeks, we have raised nearly a fifth of the money needed. We are asking you to consider giving beyond your weekly contribution to this special fund.

This reminds me of the story of the thousands of starfish stranded on the beach. A little boy began to throw them back into the ocean. After watching his efforts an old man told the boy, it’s no use. There are too many. You’ll never make a difference. The little boy looked at the old man, picked up another starfish and threw it back and said “it made a difference to that one.” One well in a rural community in such a large country might not seem like a lot. But it will make a difference in their lives. And even if all we can offer to our brethren is a cup of cold water – it’s important to God and He won’t forget.

The story is that Lawrence of Arabia (T.E. Lawrence) brought some sheiks back to England to show his appreciation for their support in fighting against the Turks. They had an audience with the Queen of England and enjoyed their visit. But what they wanted were the faucets from their hotel bathrooms to provide running water in the desert. Of course, what they didn’t realize is that it wasn’t the faucets, but the plumbing behind it that gave them water. There’s one simple principle that’s so obvious that even we overlook it. We are only God’s faucets. The real source is the power of God. May we tap into that source of abundance and living water to bring to our brethren what they so desperately need.