Living Water
Report of Perú trip September 15th – 28th by CMRC board member Terry Pasiuk from Fort Langley BC.
About 10 years ago, Doug Springer and CMRC Chairman Doug Stanlake traveled to Mendoza Peru to visit Peruvian missionaries working in a coffee growing region. Jesús and Marisol had moved from Lima to the small town of Mendoza and were looking at ways to minister to the people of Rumiaco, a small village of coffee growers. The reason for the CMRC visit was to provide the funding to purchase piping in order to bring water to the villagers’ homes. At the time of their visit, the villagers had to go approximately one kilometer up the mountain to bring back water by the pail. This was mainly the chore of the children and was repeated many times a day. I was to be on this trip, but due to bad weather, I was forced to turn back.
Now, 10 years later, I was able to visit this village. I was curious. What impact did our funding a water project have for these people’s lives? How does this type of project fit with the ministry of CMRC? The Peruvian missionary had requested our support for further pipes to add more homes to the water system. Was this a wise use of funds? We were also looking at providing the funding to add washrooms to their very basic adobe mud church building.
I was amazed by what we found. We had provided piping ten years ago, and the people of the village had installed the pipes in the ground by hand. They had dug a trench down the side of the mountain over a kilometer long. They had also purchased, using their own funds, the materials to build a cement reservoir. These people did not want us to build them a water system or to pay for the labour, but only to help support their initiative. With support from CMRC, they accomplished it on their own. The initial water pipes serviced twenty families and now they wanted to give the gift of water to five more families.
Ten years ago, there were two Christian families in the village. Now there are 18 families serving God. When I think about the gift of running water, I am drawn to the gospel talking about the gift of living water, and how the simple act of providing for the physical needs of these people opened the door for God to provide for their spiritual needs.
The gospel of living water (John 4:10-14) is used by John to convey the idea of spiritual refreshment, salvation, and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. There are three comparisons to living water as it relates to the physical act of providing water to a village:
- Quenching Thirst: Just as physical water is essential for our bodies, Living Water is essential for our souls. It quenches the deep thirst within us, as well as the thirst for meaning, purpose, and connection with our Creator.
- Renewal and Cleansing: Just as physical water provides health, hygiene, and overall well-being, Living Water has the power to cleanse and renew. In the same way, God’s grace and forgiveness cleanses our hearts and renews our spirit.
- Eternal Sustenance: A continuous supply of fresh water brought to a home is a major improvement in one’s standard of living. In the same way, Living Water that doesn’t run dry is a major improvement to our spiritual lives. It’s a perpetual source of nourishment. God’s love and presence sustains us through every season of life.
I consider it a blessing to have been able to witness firsthand the impact of a tangible form of ministry as a tool for opening doors to be able to provide faith-based ministry and see such positive results for God’s kingdom. The testimonies written in the newsletter of the people CMRC assist are wonderful and can touch our hearts. However, being able to visit and meet these people is heart changing.
Whether your heart is for direct missions, short term missions’ trips, water projects, building churches, or some other form of ministry, I encourage you to reach out to CMRC and give your support in donations, prayers, or even ideas for ministry projects. Doug Springer would love to hear from all of you. Together with you, CMRC can impact people’s lives in many countries.
CMRC Board Member
Early August Jennifer and Keith Beaumont from Newmarket contacted one of our supporters, who contacted supporter, who contacted Doug Springer. After communicating back and forth with Jennifer and Pastor Joshua and Anna in Havana we were able to make plans. Jennifer and Keith went for a 1 week holiday in Veradero and took 2 suitcases filled with items for the people in the church in Havana. Joshua was able to go by bus to Veradero and pick up the suitcases and distribute the items. Joshua was so thankful. He sent a big thank you back to CMRC and said. “We want to say thank you very much for your generosity and the many other hands who helped provide these suitcases with items for the congregation. Specifically for the ladies and children. They have been very blessed. May God continue blessing you. You have been a great blessing to us and again. Thank you”
Executive Director
I want to thank God and brother Alan because through him, God has provided me the hearing aids because, this is very important and special to my life because I am a professional doctor and I needed them to be able to communicate, develop my skills and serve to my community. Thank you very much.
We invite you to watch the entire story of this Amazing testimony.
Click or tap the video.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for the peace of Israel.
- Pray for the Jewish families grieving over loved ones murdered.
- Pray for the Jewish families who’s grandparents, babies, children and others are being held and tortured by these demonic terrorists.
- Pray for Yayli that God would heal her thyroid but also that a specialist would be found that would operate. Pray also that the equipment needed to operate would be available.
- Pray for Cesar as they produce another seminary course for pastors.
- Pray for our pastors in Cuba that continue to struggle. CMRC is planning another visit to Cuba in November is the Lord wills it.
