Why water?
For missionaries Pete and Liesl Hypki, with partners Tom and Teresa Elkins, Rachel Chapman, and Katie Moore, getting a reliable water source has been more about the Nahuatl people seeing the power of the one true God.
The team understands the need physically for good water, of course. Clean water that is close by will save the hours of time spent filling 55 gallon drums on their truck that haul it to the house. By then it’s dirty spring water that has to be filtered multiple times.
Pete and his team see the pursuit of good water presenting an opportunity to share with their neighbors the physical water all are thirsty for in order to live. They hope that the people will see that they care deeply about them.
One day they hope to share the true Living Water with the Nahuatl people.
The process has been long. The obstacles, huge.
After getting an estimate in June 2011, they raised funds until March 2012 when God brought in all the money needed. It was an amazing motivation to press on.
As quickly as God provided they discovered the driller went out of business. They were able to contract another driller who backed out by April of the same year. By then it was rainy season and it was impossible to drill from June through September.
During that time, an organization called Living Water International was contacted. They agreed to do the job and scheduled it for January of this year. Once the drilling was scheduled there was an error and it had to be postponed. Then there was the concern for how the equipment would get over their rough roads.
Another postponement.
By faith, Rachel says that a lot of work digging storage holes for the water needed to drill continued in preparation for the drilling process.
Finally, the job would be done in March.
Conversation with those watching as this project has unfolded have not been encouraging. Speculation that the bad mountain spirit in the middle of the village is not pleased.
One man told Pete and Tim to leave an offering on the top of the hill to see success come. This would keep them from getting injured or having something go wrong during the drilling process, the man urged.
It’s great, he thinks, that the missionaries believe in God, but He rules up above and their bad mountain spirit rules in their village.
It was an opportunity for Pete to testify that God is the Creator of the earth, in control everywhere on it. He assured him that there would never be a time that they would leave an offering on the mountain since their faith was in the Creator God alone.
Awkwardly, the Nahuatl man changed the subject to trucks.
Now more than ever the team desires to see the drilling successful. They believe it’s a great opportunity to show the power of God to those who doubt.
Pray with the team for patience and peace as they wait for the drilling to hit water through layers of rock.
Thanks to all who have prayed and who gave to drill this well. Find other opportunities to give.