Water

One of the most memorable things about being in India was the lack of water. The monsoon season was about a month late and although it was not a ‘drought’ there was a water shortage of extremes I could have never understood without being there. During our first few days we were asked to conserve water, which we did, but only in the most basic ways (eg shorter showers, not leaving taps on etc). To be quite honest I didn’t understand the seriousness of the water conservation and we didn’t really do enough. A few days later the water ran out. Bottled drinking water was bought in but apart from that we had only enough for essentials. Now until you have been in such a situation you probably don’t know how much water is used and wasted without really trying. We had to stop having showers, flushing the toilet, washing up, and so the list went on. When water began falling from the sky it was a mission to get all available containers outside and under any drains and drips so that we had enough for essential activities. After we collected a bucket of water (of which we tried to ration) a friend of mine washed my hair over the sink, we collected the soapy water in another container, which was then used for 2 people to shave their legs and finally was used to flush the toilet. Before this trip I didn’t know how a toilet works and how much water it needs to flush, and although I’m still no expert I certainly learned a lot about how water is used. I’m not sure I have a strong Christian message from this account, apart from that this really highlighted to me how much we have that we don’t appreciate. Now I know exactly how much water is needed to flush a toilet, to brush teeth to wash hair etc etc. God has provided us with so much, we need to step back and thank him for this. Living in the west we are so fortunate and yet so, so ungrateful.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow,
Praise him all creatures here below,
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts,
Praise Father, Son and Holy ghost.