Living Water in a Dry Land
“I heard you can deliver me from the demons that plague me,” she said, as she squirmed in her seat. This famous witch doctor from a small village in Southeast Asia, sat there, of all places, in a church? The truth was, living as a witch doctor had taken its toll. A rival witch doctor had told her she wouldn’t live long with the spiritual oppression she faced from her own demons, and that terrified her. And her distant faith in the teachings of Buddha didn’t promise much other than crossing her fingers for another chance at life again, stuck in the cycle of never-good-enough for nirvana.
Desperate, she had hitched a several-hour ride with a friend to reach this church. She explained her plight, how she longed to be healed. All it took were a few prayers from a faithful few, and she was delivered. The Christians shared of Jesus and the hope He gives – a free gift of saving grace when you decide to drop everything and follow Him. A God that can deliver like this is worthy of dropping everything for – so she gave her life to Jesus!
The woman returned home overjoyed with the new life and freedom that coursed through her veins, exhilarated to tell everyone about Jesus. But there was no warm welcome waiting for her when she returned. In fact, the village was so incredibly upset that they beat her and banned her family from offering food at the Buddhist temple, completely cutting off her family from the community. Nevertheless, the woman remained faithful to Jesus, reading Scripture, giving thanks often, praising consistently, and praying incessantly.
Finally, the village forbade her family from using the well in the village, which incited her family to kick her out of their home. She had nowhere to go – but wherever Jesus would lead. So, she snatched up a shovel, went outside, took a deep breath... and prayed. “Jesus, would you guide my shovel?” The woman wandered down to the edge of her family’s land. She began to pray and dig. Pray, dig. Pray, dig. Pray...
Suddenly, as she dug, the impossible happened. Water began to bubble up from the ground, right there underneath her.
What a miracle – the whole family couldn’t believe it. “Who was this God you met? Jesus? Well, He must be worth following if He can bring a well out of this land.” Even when the entire village had a drought, her well remained full. Her whole family and many families in the village decided to follow Jesus because of this woman. People from the village came to her, begging for water, and she gave it to them with joy – the water from the well and the living water.
Our stateside Marketplace Ministries team sat in awe as she shared her story. Her village is one of the many that the Marketplace team in Southeast Asia is reaching for Jesus via programs like Discovery Bible Studies, Community Health Evangelism, Village Savings and Loans, and Animal Banks. Whole lives are being transformed by the holistic and revolutionizing love of Jesus... one well at a time.