I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink

"…I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…" – Matthew 25:35

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

Greetings from the Sunny Sahel of Africa!

 

We have begun our work as missionaries by getting to know the African culture and studying French, a language we will need for our work in water resource development in the Central African Republic.  As have many Global Missions personnel before us, we are studying French in Burkina Faso at C.F.A.L.C.—the Center for Adult Education in Language and Culture—here in the capital city of Ouagadougou.  According to our French teachers, Ouagadougou means "place of welcome."  And we have been warmly welcomed indeed to this friendly country. 

 

On our first day in Ouagadougou, one of our teachers, a young man named Pascal, took us sight-seeing on his day off. Among our stops was the Catholic Cathedral, a rather large and imposing brick colonial structure built in 1936. Inside the Cathedral are four paintings illustrating Bible stories which have great significance in this land of scarce resources. The paintings over each side door are of Jesus feeding the five thousand. To the left of the altar is a painting of Moses striking the rock in the desert so that water will gush forth to satisfy the thirst of the people of Israel (Exodus 17).  To the right of the altar is a painting of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). As you recall, Jesus asked her for water, which she gave him.  Then he offered her living water for her soul.

 

As we stood in the coolness of the cathedral, we reflected on what it meant to be called by God to help provide water to the people of the Central African Republic, who are literally dying for lack of safe water to drink.  We thought it appropriate that on our first day in Africa we had been brought to a place which reminded us of the importance of water for God's people. We pray that as we help the people of the CAR with their physical need for this life-giving substance, we can also give and receive the water of life that comes from Jesus Christ.    

 

No one need die from their drinking water.  Please pray that our work together with the Evangelical Church of the CAR is successful.

 

Joe, Deborah, and Christa Troester