A Humbling Call to Persevere

This past week, I had the privilege of spending another week with the drilling crew. It was another good week as I reflect back on it. It was a week filled with fun, goat, work, laughter, bad food, soccer, and tough ground.

Failed Well #1. Only 4ft. of water, needs 20ft.

Before arrival on Sunday we had heard that the crew had attempted to dig 3 wells in the new area so far, but because of the clay in the soil they were unsuccessful. The plastic casing would not go down enough to produce sustainable water.

Man, to have dug down at least 20 feet 3 times and still no well to show for it! How frustrating that must be! The only thoughts going through my head were that we were going to get a well dug by the time it was for us to leave, whether it was arrogance or pride that made me think this I don’t know. However, God had other plans.

Failed #2

One of the main reasons that I wanted to come to Turkana was to help dig wells; help give people life through water. I figured, 4 maybe 5 wells this summer, would satisfy the reasoning for my internship. I mean that’s the reason people supported me in coming here, I felt like. I was going to help make a change. The status of how successful my trip was going to be on how many wells got dug.

Lets just say that after 3 weeks of digging. We have dug one well, yet to be cemented and finished for use. And not yet completed a second. So, God has brought upon me a harsh reality, that the success of my internship CANNOT and WILL NOT be defined by the quantity of wells that will be dug, but the of the growth spiritually, for me and for those I have been working with.

Failed #3

As I had stated we did not complete a well this past week, so what were we doing? We were digging, digging, digging, and digging some more. We started 3 more wells, each reaching about 20 feet into the ground, hitting clay each time halting the progress of the well.

Failed #4

My emotions rose and fell each time the bit was brought up through the casing. When there was clay inside of the bit, my heart fell. When we hit good sand, my heart sang. Needless to say, it was getting to be a very long week just by Wednesday night. I had little hope that we were EVER going to get a well in this area. Todd had been sick all week. I was physically exhausted—digging is tough physical work here. My shoulder was extremely sore. Tomorrow we were going to start on a SIXTH well. Maybe by some blind luck, the casing would go down and we would hit water. I was just about to give up. We even made a song about how #6 wasn’t going to work and how we’d have to start #7. Well God had another message for me.

PERSEVERANCE 

Failed #5

Each and every day, the crew woke up and was determined to get a well. Whether we hit clay or not, they continued to dig, whether the casing went down or not, they continued to dig. To them it was no big deal if we had to start another well, did they want to, no, but they knew they had to. They continued trekking; there was a continual push forward with vision on the end goal. Before Thursday to have dug a totally of about 130 feet in various spots into the ground, with no success, hitting water, but the casing would be stuck. The perseverance of these guys, wow, they were always laughing, joking, singing, it was just another day at the office.

On Thursday we started well #6. Shortly before lunch break, we reached water AND the casing was going down. After two weeks of digging for the crew, it finally looked like there was going to be some success.

#6- The Winner!

As I reflect on another week and how it has flown by, I realized how American I was this past week. We live in a land full of quick, fast, and easy. Success must be immediate in every aspect of life. Perseverance is many times lost or not spoken about. I admire the perseverance of these guys. It takes guts the live the way they do and always be smiling.

Between the work and the bible studies I am learning perseverance and identity from them, while teaching love and grace. It’s a great joy when the light bulb clicks and its something new and challenging to them. Something that goes against their nature, all the while God is revealing my identity in Him little by little.

For those reading, I just want to encourage you to persevere. There are always tough times, but keep pushing forward as the Hebrew writer employs and put your hope in Christ.

Hebrews 10

 ¹⁹Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.  ²⁴And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near… ³²But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, ³³sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated…   ³⁵Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  ³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.