Monday, February 22

by Becky D'Angelo Veitch

“Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water” John 7:38.

This verse of scripture is on the cover of our Lenten brochure. It was also included in a prayer in today’s “Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study” which this day focuses on Kenya, and tomorrow focuses on the Democratic Republic of Congo. In preparing to write this devotion, I spent days thinking about water—water in scripture, water and its soothing properties, water and justice in the world. I thought about baptism and cleansing and quenching of deep thirst. Through it all, however, I kept coming back to my memories of my visit to Africa.

In the spring of 1998 my boyfriend (now husband) Robert and I returned to the village where he had served as a mission volunteer in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We were there for the purpose of helping dear friends of his (also mission workers) move their family of five back to England. While we were there, Robert was welcomed back to the village as family. I was welcomed warmly, and, as his girlfriend, scrutinized thoroughly.

On many occasions during our visit we ate dinner at the homes of people with whom Robert had worked closely. We were treated as honored guests, and I later found out that our host families would borrow water purification systems from the British and American missionary families to prepare for our visits, knowing that our unaccustomed bodies would be made sick by drinking the village water.

As anyone who has traveled to developing nations can tell you, there is no more humbling experience than to be the recipient of this incredible hospitality. These families were some of the most joyful and faithful Christians that I have met. I was thankful to these families for the special efforts that they made to provide us with purified water, but the living water, that still to this day nourishes my spirit, is the experience of breaking bread and sharing fellowship and prayer with them.

Loving God, May your life-giving waters nourish us in our bodies and our spirits, this day, and ever more. Amen.