As I, Craig Ewoldt, write this morning, there is an outbreak of cholera in Jos, and people are dying. I pull a book off my shelf. Cholera is caused by contaminated water. But there is no clean water in the city.
A few miles outside the city, there is a massive reservoir of clean water several miles long. But inside the city, there is none. The water board is on strike, and the water pipes are empty.
I continue in the book. Death from cholera comes from dehydration. That can be treated with a rehydration drink. One liter of clean water, a half-teaspoon of salt, and eight teaspoons of sugar. The patient must drink small sips every five minutes, day and night. It can also be made with powdered cereal instead of sugar.
But for lack of clean water and knowing about a simple rehydration drink, many are dying. Please pray for the people of Jos, and that the strike will be quickly resolved.
For a lack of living water many are perishing—eternally—as well. Getting this living water to people who need it is the mission of Oasis. The Samaritan woman came to the well for clean water to drink. There she met Jesus. He offered her—living water. He told her, “Everyone who drinks this water (from the well) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.”
The living water Oasis distributes comes packaged in the books and Bibles that we distribute, and the tracts and Gospels that are freely given. From January through March of this year, over 100,000 books and Bible were sold through our Jos and Lagos shops, and as many tracts and Gospels were given away.
Oasis owns no property—we have always leased what we needed as we want our resources to be used for literature ministry. But the owner of our compound in Jos wants to sell, and will not renew the lease. This is the place where thousands know they can find Bibles and great Christian books. We have searched around Jos, and have not found a better place. So the Oasis International board has approved that we purchase the property in Jos, 10,200 square feet for $285,000.
We know that this is a small amount for God. Will you pray for us regarding the money to purchase this property? We are also looking for people who can give toward this need. Perhaps you are one of them.
When we first looked at this property I felt it was the Lord's guiding hand that led us there - Hallelujah. We pray you do get the finance to purchase, or is it just a Certificate of Occupancy?
Our prayers are with you - love to Beth
Posted by: Elaine Anderson | July 27, 2008 at 04:26 PM