“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.”
Isaiah 41:17-20
We are so filled with thankfulness right now. We can’t even begin to tell you how touched we are. Our Father loves to rescue us, to come through for us in such beautiful ways. I am crying with joyful praise. Our creator has given a gift so beautiful it stole my words. I could not speak for several minutes.
As many of you know, we have been trying to drill a borehole in the village for nearly 7 years. We have run up against so many obstacles: not getting land, hitting hard rock with a hand drill, spiritual warfare, physical illness, financial hardship, shady drilling companies, on and on. Our God knows the times and the seasons. He knows the spiritual warfare and He rescues us. He fills us up and strengthens our faith. He refines us like gold.
The part of Zimbabwe that Jengwe Village is in is thought by geologists to have once been part of the Kalahari Desert. It is very dry and sandy. During the dry season, which lasts longer and longer every year, the trees lose their leaves, many streams dry up, and livestock have to walk farther and farther to get water and food.
Our land is uphill from the boreholes others use in the valley. Our neighbors walk very far for daily water. The rains will come any day now, and drilling will stop for several months. All these things were working against us, but the Lord prevails.
We were in the midst of fruitless negotiations with yet another company who kept adding on costs before we even settled a contract, when God pointed us in the direction of a different company. Within a couple of days we had contracted for a lesser amount, and they came immediately to our land and started drilling. At 30 meters they hit rock, but busted through it. Then at 60 meters they hit water! You guys, the surveyors had estimated water to be at 85 meters, so we were expecting to have to drill 100 meters down! But God had a different plan.
Praise His name! His blessings overflow!
We trust and know He will provide for the pump, tanks, and solar as well.