We are surrounded by water. (of course, we are on an island). The colors of the sea here are amazing, from a deep deep navy blue on the open Atlantic side to the almost teal tones on the leeward side. When the sun shines bright and billowing white clouds pass overhead the turquoise color of the sea is even reflected on the bottoms of white clouds. Water, drinking water that is, appears to have no color at all until you contain gallons and gallons of it.
The original inhabitants of the island were able to find fresh water to survive. I don't know if they collected the water when it rained or if there is another source they found. The first settlers who came to Eleuthera were from Bermuda where there is no fresh water source except rain water.
Today, most all of the water used on the island for preparing food and drinking is desalinized and purified water. We purchase all of our bottled water from "Lutra" located in Hatchet Bay. Every day we send our volunteer work crews out with 10 gallons of water. (they don't always use every drop) Some times we have 3 or 4 crews at working at different sites. In addition, we need bottled water for cooking and drinking when everyone is back at camp. We refill our 5 gallon water jugs for $5 a bottle. Just about every day we have to make a run to D&D Service Station (Miss Lee's Cafe) to purchase our water. In an average week we go through about $300 of water
The tap water we use can come from the public water desalinized in Governor's Harbor or the large cistern we have on property (about the size of an Olympic swimming pool with a roof over top). The cistern collects the rain water from the roof of the camp building. The camp just refurbished the gutters and got the cistern system collecting again. For the few months we have been here we have been connected to the public water source because our cistern was too low.
Fortunately, a few good down pours and the cistern got a major boost. Turns out it was extraordinarily timely because currently - the public water system in central Eleuthera is not functioning.
Over the weekend we had a thunder storm and the word on the street is lightening damaged one of the two pumps used to get the water throughout the region.
Not all home have cistern water to turn to. Folks are scrambling to find a good source of water to shower and flush toilets. Even at camp we are conserving more. No doing laundry and really short showers. Public water costs about 3 times what we pay in the US per gallon.
Tonight would be our Love Feast service back home. (Maundy Thursday) This is a Brethren tradition where we remember the meal Jesus shared with his disciples before he was arrested by the authorities. We use water, as Jesus did with his disciples, to wash the feet of our brothers and sisters at the table with us. In His example, Jesus, knelt down, took a basin and towel and washed the feet of the men he had been leading and training. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords - humbly did a simple task to care for His spiritual brotherhood and teach them how to serve each other. These same men, only hours later, would in the near future both deny and leave him.
In the Love Feast washing feet is a symbol of humble service to our community of fellow believers.
Water is something we take for granted. We expect it to be there for us ready to use, ready to refresh, ready to cleanse.
Do we treat the Holy Spirit the same way sometimes? We know God is with us everyday, all of the time, ready and waiting to hear our prayers, praise and adoration. God is there ready to refresh us and to cleanse us. Do we turn to God only when our need is great? Are we complacent in our faith? Will the water of our faith run dry? Do we know the refreshment of the Holy Spirit and do we long for it? Have you a well-spring of God within you? Is the Holy Spirit filling the cistern of your soul? Don't wait for times of need and sorrow and fear - let God's love and peace refresh you daily.
.JPG)
