Bruce's personal blog (At the end of this blog :)First, for the record: I was wrong about some of the details regarding the 8 year old from India who stole water from a well of a higher caste. The "Water boy" doesn't have cancer and I don't know his age. It was another little boy that Dr. Kumar had emailed me about earlier that was sick (Wow, am I mixed up or what? Don't answer that question, please.) So, here's the story:
This little boy, who is from a lower caste, drank from a village well that belonged to "higher caste" people. He got caught and was kicked out of the village, along with his family. I'm uncertain what all of this means except that these people are at such poverty levels to begin with that to lose what they have is very devastating.
Dr. Kumar sent me a picture of another little boy pumping water at the same well. Sometimes when someone from an "Untouchable Caste," again, the lowest caste in India, gets caught the results can be very deadly -murder!
Here's where we can help. Dr. Kumar sent a picture of a rain water pond that the Untouchables must walk about 6 Kilometers to for drinking water. The water is very polluted. In a couple of months the summer heat will begin to dry out these ponds (it sometimes reaches 118 degrees in the summer). The people often get sick from this water and many get so dehydrated that they die. When I preach during their Summer they have to distribute fluids while I preach so they don't faint or die during the service.
Pastor Kumar has 50 churches in villages that have no well available for the Untouchables. Each well drilled costs approximately $500.
Pastor John's words have long been one of my motivators -We can't do EVERYTHING, but we have to do SOMETHING. Pray about it and then share with friends and co-workers the possibilities. None of these churches belong to any denomination. People can specify what they want their investments to go towards (wells, orphans, teachers, pastors) and Only God International will send them a record for their tax deductions and also a picture and details of the well they sponsored. Think about this; show this picture (I can send you more) and decide with a group of people to adopt a village - drill a well, pay the $30 a month for a teacher, and $75 for a pastor for the Palm Hut Church. That's about $1,760 for one year. You will save the lives of hundreds of people every year for years by drilling this well. Even better, you will be raising up a generation of girls and boys who can transform their village because they will know their value, they will feel empowered, and some will move on to jobs that can save the lives of half the untouchables in their village. The pastors will lead people out of religions that are fear-based and keep the people enslaved. If even 10 people took on such a project (some are less or more), their daily investment would be 49 cents per day (Perhaps indulge in one less latte every third day).
I will ask Dr. Kumar for updates regarding this little boy. I've personally reached out and touched little boys like this one kid and watched their eyes come alive with hope. They deserve life just as much as me. I didn't choose my parents. I've had so many hundreds of people invest freely in my life (and many are still doing it)! I'm so in love with Jesus. Laura and I are so excited to keep dreaming about more ways to continue to BE the light of the world. The book of James is becoming even more alive in our hearts. Ask me about some of the "world loaning" opportunities for the poorest women in the world - it's a fantastic way to re-give over and over with an investment of less than $50.
Pray, follow your convictions, share with others! Repeat to yourself over and over, "We can't do everything, but we all can do something."
Feel free to email me with questions and ideas (Bruce.lhceast@gmail.com).
Bruce's blog: What to snowshoe with us, climb a tall Mountain, or go cycling, even a movie (we're going this week) - then check in on my personal blog (HERE)
