Faith in the Cracks – Allowing God to seep into the cracks in our lives.

Where I live, it has been raining on and off over the last 3 days. Nice gentle rains, not huge storms. We need the rain as there has been a bit of a drought in the Midwest or as the drought monitor map refers to Kansas as part of the high plains. The drought monitoring website is a partnership with the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the U.S. Agriculture department. You can compare different times side by side. With the level of severity indicated on the map, the rain we have been getting barely puts a dent in the need. And Kansas is not alone.

Water is one of the world’s most valuable resources. The earth needs water for animals to survive and plant life to grow. Humans need water as we are made up of about 60% our body.
According to a Mayo Clinic article from September 2022, most of our major body systems require water. Water helps our bodies regulate temperature, protects organs like our brain and spine, carries nutrients to cells, removes waste from our bodies, and helps our muscles work properly. If we get dehydrated, our bodies begin to shut down.

I begin with all of this because although the over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water, only 3% of the water on earth is fresh. Most of it is salt water in our oceans. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 people globally do not have access to safe water (2019). So while I often take for granted at my ability to turn on a tap and get a glass of water, or brush my teeth, or take a shower – there are people around the world who have to walk more than 30 minutes to carry back water that is still not safe to drink.

Clean water means less disease. Local access means safety and more time for productivity. So as I sit and watch it rain. As I drink a glass of water from my kitchen sink. As I have time to blog because I am not walking to carry back water, I am reminded of how vital water is to human survival and to the world. How do we ensure more people have safe access to this resource?