From the Field

For the past 2+ months, the Highlands of PNG has gotten very little rain.  Gardens have been deserted, drinking water sources have all but dried up and many folks have suffered the ill effects of diarrheal illnesses from contaminated water sources. Thankfully, the heavens have opened up and rains have poured down on the Highlands of PNG once again.  Our water tanks are full, but the river is still pretty low, and there are many areas in PNG where the rains have not yet return to, so please keep praying for more rain. The only good thing about a drought is the hope of mangos.  Mangos need a period of time to grow without wind and rain to knock off the buds and the little mangos as they start to grow.  Droughts provide that period of time for the mangos to grow.  It has been years since our mango tree produced mangos, but it looks like this might be another good year for mangos.  Our trees have 100s of little mangos on them, hoping the rains don’t knock off the rest.
Source: Rain and mangos from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific

2-3 months ago, before I went to the US, I found out that Ambane, a little kid with leukemia (ALL), was no longer in remission and his cancer was back.  I explained, as best I could to his loving family that his cancer was back and that we didn’t have any other medicines to offer him.  It seemed like his mom understand what I was saying, even if he didn’t. After being gone for 2 months, Ambane and his mom came to my door a few days ago.  Ambane had changed so much in a short period of time, his belly was swollen, he was weak, he no longer had a smile on his face, he looked sick and in pain.  I knew just looking at him that we were losing the fight, that his cancer was winning and we weren’t going to win this thing.  After examining him, his mom started talking and then started crying.  She was sure that when I got back I would be able to save her son.   She knew I had given him medicine before that had seemingly cured him and was hoping and praying that when I got back, I would be able to do the same. My heart was breaking.  Breaking for Ambane, who for the past year and a half I watched fight his cancer and get to the point of regaining a normal life, and now won’t be able to play with his brothers, won’t be able to go…
Source: A fight we can't win from Erin Meier – Asia Pacific

I find myself pretty emotional these days. Well, actually, I’m emotional most other times as well, but this is a different type of emotion. Currently, we are in the middle of the desert, figuratively speaking. Seven weeks without water in our house has left us relying on “bucket” living, meaning a constant stream of filling up buckets from a back faucet and carrying them inside our house. We “bucket” flush, we take “bucket” baths and the dishes get a “bucket” rinse. I’d like to think we are pros at “bucket” living now. Three days ago, we found ourselves without even the small trickle of water coming in our back faucet. “What are we going to do for water?” was my first thought. “Where are we going to get it from?” I’m reminded of a woman in the Bible. A Samaritan woman going to draw water at a well, Jacob’s well. I can picture the scene well in mind after seeing women draw water from wells here.  In John, chapter 4, we read about this Samaritan woman going to fill her “bucket” with water and meeting Jesus. He asks for a drink from her, breaking a Jewish law. Jews were not supposed to talk with Samaritans. And, being a man, he was not supposed to talk to a woman without her husband present. But, that day, that life-changing day for this woman, Jesus wasn’t concerned with the law. He was concerned with offering grace and a chance to know Him. This…
Source: Bucket Living from Fothergill – Africa