How Much Water Does It Take?
How much water do we use in America
To take a shower, take a bath or wash our car?
Imagine
My bath water, mop bucket water,
Standing toilet water, dish water…
Cleaner
Than the water available to the mountain children of Haiti.
Until you see a child dying of dehydration
Hear the moans and groans of a child
Crying without tears…
Pouring the water off of a pot of spaghetti
Down the kitchen sink
Would never give you a second thought.
But I've seen and
I've heard..
I've stood motionless for 45 minutes…
Staring at the sink
Where I watched
My spaghetti water disappear,
Wondering…
How many children…
Just my spaghetti water alone…
Could save.

Our Water Bearer
(he wants what every authentic, real father wants;
the best for his baby, the best for his family)

He proudly and carefully carries buckets dancing with
Clear, clean hand washing water
For the missionaries
And drinking water
For the missionaries
And shower water
for the missionaries
Knowing that his own family
Washes and drinks and brushes their teeth
In the same water in which his donkey drinks.
He quickly repents
Thanking God he even owns a donkey
A purchase he was able to make
With the money he gets from fetching
Clear, clean hand washing water
For the missionaries
And drinking water for the missionaries
And shower water
For the missionaries
But...
His mind once again wanders
Would his dying baby girl improve
If she could only just even sip
The used missionaries' bath water
Instead of the same water in which
His donkey drinks.

The Wells Are Dry
Ronald's baby sister has not laughed for 10 days. She is sick and needs water badly. Ronald's mother sends him to fetch water. The water well is nearly a mile away. Ronald runs because he loves his mother and is obedient. Ronald runs because he adores his baby sister and loves to hear her laugh. Ronald arrives at the well in good time. But there is a crowd of children around the well with empty buckets. The well is dry. Ronald knows the next well is a half mile away and has been dry now for over 2 months and the one after that has bad water. The next after that is 3 miles away. He imagines he hears his sister's laughter and runs like the wind the 3 miles. It will take him longer to return in order not to waste any of his sister's precious water. As he nears the well he sees children kicking up dust and swinging empty buckets. One boy says the well is empty and the missionaries aren't coming again to fix it for another month. Ronald swallows with a parched throat and hurries the 4 miles back to his mother. He gets to the edge of his yard. His heart hears the angelic sound of his sister's laughter. He hurriedly enters his inadequate hut made of mud, sticks, and banana leaves. His mother rocks his sister tightly to her body. She rocks humming a deep sound that smells of the ancestors. She rocks to and fro, fro and to.

“The wells are dry,” says Ronald. He leans over swaying to his mother's rhythm and kisses his baby sister. She is sleeping with a smile. Her skin is cool like fresh water after the rain. “My friends say that the missionaries are coming to the wells in a month.

“It doesn't matter now,” responds his mother, still gently rocking his baby sister to and fro, fro and to.

Ronald goes out into his yard and squats down to cry. His body is so thirsty from all of the days effort that his eyes won't waste the water.






“The Wells are Dry”
(sketch)






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