Water from above...

The water here in the Philippines is not like the mountain springs of Virginia, or even California’s piped in H2O. In fact it’s best for us to avoid drinking the tap water here. The microscopic critters living in the water here do not mix well with our Americano digestion. Thankfully we have bottled water provided. It seems so refreshing on a hot humid day. Even many of my Filipino brothers and sisters avoid drinking from the tap. Yet water is so vital.
With the heat and humidity of the Philippines you need more then one shower a day. The sweat and odor build quickly. A shower is so refreshing and brings your body skin temperature back closer to normal. Through the upstairs windows you can view the Masantol river passing. The kids in Masantol are always jumping in the river. They combine the cooling down with playful routines. As I observe the visible pollution in the river water, I wonder how they survive.
Our neighbor raises roosters in his backyard. From the second floor office window I hear them crowing every few minutes. When I arrived, he had maybe one. Now he has about seven. Some Filipinos like my neighbor, enter their roosters in cockfights. They hope to make money through gambling. The backyard of the neighbor has no drainage. When it rains their yard becomes a pool. The roosters survive in a raised pen. When water evaporates a cesspool of dark green polluted water is left in the back corner. I don’t believe anyone removes the chicken’s manure. In addition garbage is ignored and floats daily on the algae. Often the smell is so strong I must close the windows.
In Psalm 46 we read “ There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. I rejoice that we have the refreshing water God provides for our souls. In Isaiah 55 it says, “ “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. This is the pure water that is needed in Masantol.