Sometimes I feel like I have moved to an alternate world; things are so different for me now, I am learning a whole new skillset to survive: laundromats, hauling water, dug outs, lagoons, running a generator, filling the generator, propane, outdoor shower versus indoor where I can spit faster water pressure, where to put your garbage, gates and locks in several different places and each with a different key! AND then there is the mud! Mocha loves the mud which translates to a lot of cleaning, her and the trailer. All these are new situations for me: there is no garbage man, no recycling, no sprinkler or hose for your flowers and veggies.
Here in the Dawson Creek area a whole heck of a lot of people haul their water for their homes and properties. They fill the tank in the truck and then they empty their water tanks into a huge cistern that they have at home. We had to buy a water tank that fits into the back of our truck so we could haul our drinking and washing water. In the above picture you can see similar white water tanks in the backs of pick-up trucks in this parking lot. As we went by, I counted 4 of them.
It is very commonplace here. When we asked about water in the area where our property is, we were told that most people haul their water and have dug outs. This was a foreign concept for us as we always have been blessed to turn on the tap and there was water!
There are 2 filling stations for water in the town of Dawson Creek and thus far we have used $6.00 of our tab even though we have filled our tank I do not even know how many times. Our tank is not large, one tank will fill our trailer water holding tank x 2.
Therefore, the cost of the water is not an issue. The going and getting it once or twice a week is more time consuming. I have yet to learn exactly when to push the stop button and have sprayed Brian and I with volcanic like water flow if I am not quick enough. The pressure of the water coming out of the filling station is pretty incredible, you use a 2” hose to fill your tanks. So yes, we had to purchase one of those hoses as well – actually 2 because we lost the first one… someone may have helped themselves to it or it fell out (but it is not light), we are not sure, but we are on our second hose. The first hose was 10’ long and very doable. When we went to get the second one, they only had 25’ hoses. Let me tell you that is a major 2” hose to handle.
This whole process of going and getting your water from a well or water source is not new. Millions of people around the world do this and some do not even have access to clean water, which is horrifying.
The Bible mentions communal wells and people going to get water for themselves and for their animals many times in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Isaac in the Old Testament equated prosperity with wells, you had to have water to survive. Isaac’s wife Rebekah was met at a well. Genesis 24
Jacob met his future wife Rachel at a well. Genesis 29
Moses met his wife Zipporah at a well. Exodus 2:11
Jesus met a woman at the well, who ended up saving her whole town. John 4:4-26
When we, Brian and I, go to get our water, we too, end up chatting with whomever else is waiting – it is a great communal place to meet people.
Water.
Water is a must for survival, without water you die; be it plants, animals, people.
This year has been so dry, unusually dry. I overheard and had a conversation with a farmer that hay crops are way down from lack of water. One fellow told me he usually gets 3 bales per acre but this year it is taking 3 acres to make a bale. Farmers are looking for feed and hay for their livestock.
Another farmer talked with Brian and told him they grow canola, right now because of it being so dry there is no seed in the pod. They are hoping for a long season and some rain to maybe rectify this. Apparently in Saskatchewan or maybe it is Manitoba, whole cow herds are being given away or put down because there is no grass for them according the to tv news.
Today I read this: “The County of Grande Prairie has declared an agricultural disaster as a result of sustained drought conditions. Councillor Corey Beck, who initially requested the disaster declaration, says many in the community have been impacted by the recent historic heatwave and extended periods without rain.” (My Grande Prairie Now)
Water, you need it.
There are probably more but I found 176 verses in the Bible about water. In the first chapter of the Bible, Genesis, the creation of the world and water is mentioned: Genesis 1:2. The last book of the Bible, Revelation, also mentions water – the river of life flowing from the throne of God. Revelation 22:1
Jesus calls Himself “living water” (John 4:10).
Water is needed for survival; it is not a “want” rather a need and a big one at that.
We all have needs in different forms or another. Needs leave us wanting, aching for something to fill it up, to quench our desire, our thirst for our need, we crave refreshing. Jesus is “living water” and that implies that Jesus is a source of survival, a non ending spring of life.
Jesus was saying in essence, “come to me and I will fill you, I will meet that need in your
life and then some.”
We all go to the well for filling, we sometimes dig our own wells, when those do not work out, we dig another one and keep on going until we find something that fills our hole inside. Sometimes we go to communal wells where we can feel like we are not alone in our need, other times we die from thirst because of our pride, we will not go to the well of “living water”.
Going to the well, implies that you are empty, you have nothing but an empty bucket or cup with which to receive the water. Going to the well implies that you are in the receiving mode, looking, searching, seeking.
What is your need today? Water, loneliness, heat, draught, relationships, addictions, motivation, finances, control, food – too much or too little, health, it could be almost anything.
Bring your need, your want to the well of living water. Offer up your empty cup, your empty bucket to Jesus and ask Him to fill you with His living water. As He promised the woman in Samaria 2,000 years ago:
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water (normal water) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
I have found Jesus to so faithful and if you will bring Him your need, your cup, your bucket, He will be faithful to fill it for you as well. He promises to meet you there.