The past two days I have been hauling water for the orphanage. We are rather spoiled here because normally we have city water piped up to us on our hill. During the dry season the water pressure doesn't reach us, so we have to haul water from a natural spring. We take four 20 gallon buckets (80 liters) along with six 5 gallon (20 liter) to the spring. To get to the spring is part of the adventure. It is a good 15 minute drive over a rather rough road. Once we arrive we park at the top of a steep hill and walk down to the two pipes that have water continually flowing from them. It takes about 1 minute for our jerry can (a yellow plastic container that once held cooking oil) to fill. Each 20 gallon container is given two jerry cans (5 gallons each). Because of the weight we carry up the 20 gallon containers 1/2 full to the top of the 100 yard steep trail to the vehicle (a Toyota SUV). When all four 20 gallon containers are 1/2 full we then carry enough water up with the jerry cans to top off the big containers. It takes three or four of us to lift the big containers into the back of our SUV. We put giant leaves in the containers to act as baffles to stop the water from spilling out as it sloshes when we drive home. The jerry cans are also filled and instead of nice water proof lids we have to use plastic bag parts to cover the 3 inch holes. Once in place we use vines found on the ground to tie the plastic in place. The jerry cans are set on top of the lids of the large containers to act as weights to keep the lids in place as the water spills out from all the bumps.
Once we arrive home we bucket out the water into our large 5,000 liter tanks. Water will be locked in these tanks and a key is given to one person who will ration out the water. With construction going on and the need for concrete we make two trips each morning to provide enough water for construction, cooking and cleaning. Clothes washing is only done out of necessity. Bathing is always done by using a bucket, but even that is cut way back because of lack of water.
Reflecting back on the day my arms are already aching from just two days of helping carry water. As I gather water I look at all the people who are also gathering. Many children with all size jerry cans. Most of them are excited to see me and yell out "muzungu"! which means "white person". I smile and greet them and they break into a huge smile that is so common here. Then I also see many older woman..not more than one man did I see today. Apparently it is a woman's job, as well as children, to gather water. I have read that many young girls must gather water all day long, usually spending hours walking, and end up not attending school. I wonder what each person's story is as I look into their eyes.
Then I think about Jesus who proclaimed "I am the living water". I never really thought about the importance of water when I lived in America. Water was always readily available. But now I have a different perspective. Water is the difference between life and death in Rwanda. Water is "living" water. Our relationship with Jesus is a matter of life and death too. Funny how moving across the world can change my perspective.
