February 25 – “Running Water”

It was a busy day yesterday.  I received an early call from Centerpoint.  They are the energy provider in our area, but the call was not about our service.  They were set to donate two pallets of water.  That’s 78 cases in each pallet.  156 case in all.  They were contacted by our friends at Texas Baptists out of Houston.  The plan was for them to call me when they were on their way so I could meet them at the Jamaica Beach fire station, our original site to offload them for the community. 

 

Now, on to the call.  By “early” I mean they didn’t give me any lead time.  The guy said he was sitting at the fire station waiting for me.  I told him I was on my way and would be there in ten or fifteen minutes.  When I arrived … he was nowhere to be found.  I called the number he had just called me from.  Straight to voice mail, which had never been set up.  After three unsuccessful tries, I called the Centerpoint connection who set this up.  As we were talking, a text came through from the driver.  Seems he was “around the corner taken a drink.”  I asked where he was.  He listed the name of a small general store … in Pirates Beach.  I told him to stay put and I would meet him there.  I drove back to Pirates Beach and texted him that I was there.  He wasn’t.  He had decided to drive back to the fire station.  I asked him to please stay put this time, and I would be there in five minutes.  Finally … we connected.  I explained that the fire chief couldn’t be there until later in the afternoon, so rather than risk putting the water in the wrong place, we were moving over to the church.  He agreed to follow me this time.  That was the last of the issues we had.  He left the two pallets under the retreat center at the church.  This whole experience certainly gave new meaning to the term “Running Water.”

I began spreading the word the best I could.  The real estate office next door came over and grabbed a few cases.  Before long cars were pulling up and grabbing a case or two.  No one was abusing the system at all.  I talked to a few of them.  One man had just made it to town the day before and was assessing his damages.  The plumber told him he was hoping the parts would be here in the next day or two.  A lady took just one case.  I asked if she needed more than one, but she said she wanted to leave plenty for other folks.  Another lady took two cases and closed her truck liftgate.  Then she saw me and asked if it would be possible for her to take one more case.  Apparently she had three houses she was taking water to.  I finally left the remaining water to the good graces of the community.  Hopefully they will be all be gone soon, if not already. 

 

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

 

Father, thank you for the good hearts of the people who came to get water.  And thank you for the compassion of the ones involved in the donation itself.  Amen.