Joel's Jottings: "Wade in the Water"

Several years ago, Fondren Presbyterian sent a mission team to Haiti to install water purification systems with the Living Waters for the World project. The team went to help provide clean water. For so long, we have assumed that in Jackson we would have clean water. We have. Until we haven’t. Now we are in a place not unlike the folks in the Haiti village where the Fondren mission team served.

Of course, one water purification system will not solve the problem for the 180,000 who now do not have water—potable for drinking or non-potable for other necessary tasks. Jesus asked for a drink of water from a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Remembering the Haiti mission trip can be an inspiration for our situation here in Jackson.

As I write this, I trust, pray, and hope that city and state officials are coordinating the immediate response to this crisis. And I trust, hope, and pray that they are keeping in mind longer term actions needed to rebuild the broken system.

As people of faith in Jesus Christ, we need to formulate our response. As people of faith in God through Jesus Christ we pray and we act. The actions called for at this moment are evolving. I will share actions that can involve us as a community as I learn of them. But in the meantime, let us start with prayer.

Lord God, You moved over the water at the beginning of time to call forth earth from sea. Water is a life-giving source needed to sustain life in each drink we take and in each sip that waters the vegetation of the earth. Your people of Israel needed water as they wandered in the wilderness. So Moses struck the rock and the waters sprang forth. Jesus asked the woman at the well for a drink. And he also gave her a drink of Living Water. We need both—the water that sustains life and the water that gives new life.

May the leaders of the city of Jackson and the State of Mississippi be granted

The wisdom to take the measure of this moment,

The compassion to see the suffering that is now faced,

The courage to act with justice,

The hope not to surrender to fear, and

The humility to allow a complete and honest sharing of solutions.

Holy One, we trust You to provide what is needed for all of the people who face this challenge. Show us Your way of serving, sharing and caring so that in the end, a better way will be found and people will no longer struggle for a drink of water, but will be filled from the well of Living Water. Amen.