The God who purifies water!

The other day, I was looking through some of the resources we use in D for D (Discipling for Development) and was absolutely amazed with some lessons we have on water!

Did you know that the sun that God created can purify bad water? Scientists have apparently been studying this for years and have discovered that UV rays kill parasites and microbes in water in a clear plastic bottle. This process, called SODIS (Solar Disinfection of water). You can check it out and learn much more at www.sodis.ch. (It explains how the method is safe and recommended even when considering possible chemicals from the plastic).

So in order to increase the heat of the sun on the water bottle, they encourage us to lay the bottle down sideways on a tin, (here on a tin roof is a great place) for 6 hours on a sunny day. When it is cloudy it can take up to 2 days.

Just think, God has provided a way for our friends to have an almost free way to purify their water. I read that between 1.5 - 2 million people die each year because of diarrhea (especially children under 5 years old). Boiling water is very expensive, many people can't afford it, but this SODIS method only requires the sun that God has already given us, clear water bottles, water, and a sheet of tin (roof).

Isn't that GOOD NEWS? What an amazing God we love and serve!

the first farmer

On Sunday I went with David Thomas and Augustine (our Yearly Meeting Superintendent) to the Murinja Friends Church, which is one of the 4 communities we are working in through the Discipling for Development ministry.

Augustine led us in what I think is one of the most profound and really practical teachings I've ever heard in Rwanda! The lesson came from the ministry of LifeWind International.

But before I tell about the lesson I should explain a little about our friends in this community and in most of Rwanda. Most Rwandans have traditionally been subsistence farmers, meaning that they have a small plot of land and plant enough crops to eat and hopefully a little extra in order to be able to buy a few items they can't produce (i.e. salt, sugar, etc). Society in Rwanda is changing and it seems that often farmers are viewed as low peasants. Jobs in an office or teaching are viewed as prestigious and being a pastor is often viewed as the way to serve God. So some of our friends who are farmers are viewed as lowly and sometimes feel like they are worth little. This is obviously not the way God sees them!

The lesson started with an important question, "Who was the first farmer?" As we all thought about it, the answer seemed obvious to us, "Adam, was the first farmer!" But then as we looked at the book of Genesis we discovered that we were all wrong! In the 8th & 9th verses of chapter 2 we are told,

"Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had created. And the LORD God planted all sorts of trees in the garden--beautiful trees that produced delicious fruit. At the center of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (NLT)

So God was the first farmer; He planted the garden of Eden! Some people would say that farming is a part of the curse because of Adam and Eve's sin, but here and in the following we verses (v. 15) we see that God gave humanity the task of tending and caring for the garden. Yes, farming as well as all of life was effected by the Fall, but we are called to farming! The effects of this truth is huge and very practical for our friends who have sometimes felt like they are on the bottom of the society. Augustine then asked them the following 3 questions:

1) "How does God view you as a farmer?";
2) "How should we view our job as farmers?"; and
3) "How should we view God now that we know about this high calling of farming that He has given us?"

As our friends responded, we could tell that the Lord was speaking to them! These are the kind of thoughts they share:

-- God has called us to farm
-- Farming is really important (and God thinks so too!)" [Many jobs come because of farming, i.e. a carpenter has a job because someone planted the trees!]
-- He has given us strength and hands to use in farming
-- We provide food for the people in the offices

In the work of farming we see a very tangible and practical way in which God is directly involved in our daily lives! The crops that we plant would not grow unless God makes them grow! Our fields would not be planted unless we get out and plant them. It is only through our partnership with God that we can have food to eat...we work hard to plant the seeds and God makes them grow! What an awesome God that participates in our real and actual daily life!