The Water

The Water

>> It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We
>> had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were
>> dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The creeks and
>> streams were long gone back into the earth. It was a
>> dry season that would bankrupt several farmers
>> before it was through. Everyday, my husband and
>> his brothers would go about the arduous process of
>> trying to get water to the fields.
>>
>> Lately this process had involved taking a truck to the
>> local water rendering plant and filling up with water.
>> But severe rationing had cut everyone off. If we didn't
>> see any rain soon...we would lose everything. It was
>> on this day that I learned the true lesson of sharing
>> and witnessed the only miracle I have ever seen with
>> my own eyes.
>>
>> I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and
>> his brothers when I saw my six-year-old son, Billy,
>> walking toward the woods. He wasn't walking with the
>> usual carefree abandon of a youth but with a great
>> effort...trying to be as still as possible.
>>
>> Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came
>> running out again, toward the house. I went back to
>> making sandwiches; thinking that whatever task he had
>> been doing was completed. Moments later, however, he
>> was once again walking in that slow purposeful stride
>> toward the woods. This activity went on for an hour,
>> walk carefully to the woods, run back to the house.
>>
>> Finally I couldn't take any it any longer and I crept out
>> of the house and followed him on his journey (being
>> very careful not to be seen..as he was obviously doing
>> important work and didn't need his Mommy checking
>> up on him).
>>
>> He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked;
>> being very careful not to spill the water he held in them...
>> maybe two or three tablespoons were held in his tiny
>> hands. I sneaked close as he went into the woods.
>> Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did
>> not try to avoid them. He had a much bigger purpose.
>>
>> As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing
>> site.Several large deer loomed in front of him. Billy
>> walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him
>> to get away. A huge buck with elaborate antlers was
>> dangerously close. But the buck did not threaten him...
>> he didn't even move as Billy knelt down. And I saw a
>> tiny fawn laying on the ground, obviously suffering
>> from dehydration and heat exhaustion, lift its head
>> with great effort to lap up the water cupped in my
>> beautiful boy's hand.
>>
>> When the water was gone, Billy jumped up to run back
>> to the house and I hid behind a tree. I followed him
>> back to the house; to a spigot that we had shut off the
>> water to. Billy opened it all the way up and a small
>> trickle began to creep out. He knelt there, letting the
>> drip slowly fill up his makeshift "cup", as the sun beat
>> down on his little back.
>>
>> And when it came clear to me. The trouble he had gotten
>> into for playing with the hose the week before. The lecture
>> he had received about importance of not wasting water. The
>> reason he didn't ask me to help him. It took almost twenty
>> minutes for the drops to fill his hands. When he stood up and
>> began the trek back, I was there in front of him.
>>
>> His little eyes just filled with tears. "I'm not wasting,"
>> was all he said. As he began his walk, I joined him...
>> with a small pot of water from the kitchen. I let him
>> tend to the fawn. I stayed away. It was his job. I stood
>> on the edge of the woods watching the most beautiful
>> heart I have ever known working so hard to save
>> another life.
>>
>> As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground,
>> they were suddenly joined by other drops...and more drops...
>> and more. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, himself, was
>> weeping with pride. Some will probably say that was all just a
>> huge coincidence. That miracles don't really exist. That it was
>> bound to rain sometime. And I can't argue with that...I'm not
>> to try.
>>
>> All I can say is that the rain that came that day saved our
>> farm...just like that actions of one little boy saved another.
>> This is not one of those crazy chain letters...if you don't
>> forward it to anyone, nothing bad will happen to you. If
>> you choose to forward it, you won't receive any riches in
>> the mail.
>>
>> I don't know if anyone will read this...but I had to send it out.
>> To honor the memory of my beautiful Billy, who was taken
>> from me much too soon... But not before showing me the True
>> face of God, in a little sunburned body.
>>
>> If this touched you, pass it on.
>>
>> Author Unknown
>>

*Contribution from my dear friend Shirley