A Cup of Cold Water

Last Sunday, our family traveled to the village of Dan Makadi for Sunday morning service.  This village is about 13 miles outside of Maradi, and it took us over 30 minutes to get there.  Most of the roads to Dan Makadi are made of sand.  After turning off the “main” road, we began traveling on a pathway consisting of two sandy tracks that lead the way to the village. 


On one of the village roads...

I must admit, the kids and I felt a little on the green side by the time we reached our destination!  It was a pretty bumpy ride, and this isn't one of the more remote villages either.  When we arrived, we were greeted at the church by a host of friendly children, grinning shyly, and adults who greeted us warmly in Hausa and escorted us into the mud-brick church structure. 

I will never cease to be amazed by the joy on the faces of these precious Nigerien believers.  Most of them lost almost any earthly possessions or inheritance they might have had when they became a Christian.  I love watching their faces as they worship Jesus.  There are flies buzzing everywhere, each one of us is covered with sweat and a good coating of dusty grime, but none of that matters.  There is true joy present, and I see in the faces of those singing here something that millionaires are still striving to attain.  Such peace.  Such contentment.  Such joy.  Incredible.



Jonathan is teaching a scripture verse he has set to music in Hausa.

Jonathan was the guest speaker, and talked about how the words of our mouth come from the heart, illustrating his teaching by having some children place dirt in one glass of water, then offering a clean glass and the dirty glass to the people, asking which one they would prefer to drink from, and which one would bring health and life.  Like the example, we daily need the blood of Jesus to cleanse us, wash us, and then transform us through the power of the Holy Spirit to be pure vessels that He can use to bring life, encouragement, and hope to those around us.

Two kinds of water - one is clean, one is dirty...



Would you prefer to drink muddy water or clear? 
What?!!  You don't want the mud?!! 

After the service, one of the ladies took me to visit some of the ladies from the church at her mother’s house.   The children and I walked hand-in-hand through the village, greeting curious women and children along the way.  We passed the village well, at which 2 or 3 dozen people were busy pulling up water.  They were using large bulls to help with pulling up the buckets of water.  The well must have been deep, because the lines of rope that the animals were pulling with were dozens of meters long.  Isaiah, Anna, and I, with Grace on my back, scurried across the path in order to not be run over by one of the bulls – their horns are long and sharp, and not something we’d want to get in the way of!  :)

Upon entering the compound, which consisted of a wall, several mud/brick one-room houses, a tall tree, and a few lean-tos for shade, we were escorted, amidst excited hustle and bustle to the tree.  The ladies, chattering a mile a minute in Hausa, insisted that under the tree was much cooler than any of the lean-tos.  As we walked toward the tree there was a flurry of activity as straw brooms were brought out, leaves were swept away, and a mat was laid out for us to sit on. 

Grace meets Mourja, one of our Bible School students
 who graduated last year.

“Would the children like some fura?”  came the question.  This village drink is one of the staple foods of Niger, and is frequently offered to guests.  It consists of ground millet that has been fermented.  I accepted, but part of me wanted to refuse because I knew these people hardly have food enough to survive on, much less to give away.  Still, I knew that it would be rude to turn down this act of hospitality. 


Isaiah and Anna enjoy their fura.

The question that came next was so humbling that it nearly brought tears to my eyes.  “Would Isaiah and Anna like sugar in their fura?”  I knew the children would love the drink sweetened, so I agreed, again considering refusing, knowing that sugar is a luxury that the villagers may not always be able to afford.  A flurry of activity ensued, and someone was sent out into the village and came back a few minutes later, having just purchased a small bag of sugar, which was then emptied into our fura.  I was touched by this simple, yet extravagant act of hospitality.  I know these precious people have so little, and yet they gave us their very best, and did it with such joy.   

In Matthew 10:42, Jesus talks about giving others a cup of cold water.  Here in Niger, that illustration means so much more to me than it ever did before.  It gets so hot here, and there is nothing more refreshing than a cool drink.  Jesus also said, "If you've done it to the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me."  (Matthew 25:40)  When these ladies offered us not only their fura, but took their hospitality to another level by purchasing sugar to go with it, they weren't just giving us a gift, they were giving it to Jesus as well.  Jesus goes on to say, for those who give that cup of cold water, "They shall by no means lose their reward." 

I came away from Dan Makadi feeling encouraged and challenged by the believers there. They might not have many worldly possessions to call their own, but they possess great wealth in the kingdom of heaven.  I felt as though we had been given a cup of cold water, except instead of water, it was a small bag of sugar.