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Some time ago I heard an item on the radio about a young doctor that had gone out to spend some time with a tribe in some remote African village. One evening one of the village elders came to his hut to visit, and the doctor offered him a glass of water. He watched as the elder held the glass without drinking, heart beating fast for fear that he had broken some taboo, and then realised that the elder was offering up a prayer before drinking the water.
That tale will stay with me for ever; each morning having filled the kettle and switched it on to make the first cup of tea of the day, I pour myself a glass of water (my Grandad always did this, too) — and how often do I offer up a prayer of thanks for this most basic of things? I take this simple glass of water for granted. At exactly the same time that I’m standing waiting for the kettle to boil, enjoying that glass of water, thousands of women in several African countries will be walking maybe 2 or 3 miles to fetch water for their families. I wonder if they ever imagine me?
It’s so easy to take things for granted, isn’t it? Many, many moons ago, after a camping holiday, I promised myself I’d never take the humble flushing toilet for granted again! But I do. If someone where to ask me the value of running water and a flushing toilet, I would probably reply "priceless", but will I remember this when the Christian Aid envelope drops through my letter box at the end of this month? Will I simply pop a few lose bits of change in it and grumble about "yet another charity envelope" as I leave it on the doorstep for some willing volunteer to collect? If it were me walking miles in the early morning to get fresh water for my children wouldn’t I want people with taps to remember me?
Back to my Grandad - I remember him saying "We live in one of the finest countries in the world". And he was right. I am really blessed. So many of the things that I take for granted, the basics, are luxuries for people in the developing world. The statistics are that more that one and a quarter billion people do not have access to clean water. I’ll try to remember that when the Christian aid envelope comes through my door on the same evening I go out for a take away to enjoy with a bottle of wine. Will you?
Kate Marr
