Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Water and the Woman at the Well


The Dedricks have been introducing me to the local churches outside the urban area of Maputo...these are some children I met near the church in Picoco. The local language, Changana, is mainly used in the areas outside of the city.

We had some laughs as I practiced my Changana with them :) I greeted each one, I told them my name, and I asked what each of their names were. Then they taught me the word for water... mati.

This is the well (that gives mati :) outside of the church in Picoco. Previously, the only local well was at the mosque, and the mosque required membership in order to use the well. So through partnership and much hard work, the team here was able to put in a well that everyone in the community could use!


A local pastor, Abel, is standing on the left, and the woman who is sitting, is waiting to get mati at the well. I was able to practice a little more Changana...get a few more laughs, and talk with her for a little while. Along with the needed water for here and now, I also pray that she would receive the living water that would become a fountain in her springing up into everlasting life.

When I was about to leave, the little girl with the pink shirt (on the right) came up to me with a huge smile and said, "Aimee!" I was so glad that she had understood my introduction in Changana to know that I had said my name...and that she had remembered it too!