Battling…

Today the well project grew in intensity.  Now it is no longer something that will be a “great blessing” or “filling a great need” in the community.  It is a spiritual battleground.

One of the men of the village recently stopped by to “help” us.  We’ve been battling through hard rock now for many days, not passing through it yet, and not finding water.  There’s been little things that have broken, a hose connection, a stripped bolt – small but vital.

Our friend stopped by to help us.  He said, “You know, you’re struggling through the rock, your things are breaking, and your not finding water because you haven’t given an offering to [the territorial spirit that lives on the hill in the middle of the village and rules the community].  If you left a few pesos there, everything will go more quickly, no one will be hurt, the equipment will not break down, and you would find water!”

Another person told us, “It’s not going well for you because you don’t believe like we do!”

Today is also the first of 3 consecutive holy days that the people here “keep” by not working among other things.  We are obviously, and loudly, from the noise of the drilling machine, not “keeping” the days, going against their customs.

From the people’s perspective, drilling a well is more than just a drilling machine grinding through rock.  It is about the spiritual world, and success is dependent on your allegiance to those powers. The community is watching but expecting failure.

Our allegiance is not to some territorial spirit or a plastic idol paraded around town during these “holy days”.  Our allegiance is to the CREATOR of ALL the earth, the rocks, the ground, the water, and the spirits.  He is the ALMIGHTY GOD, the ONE TRUE GOD.

We are praying that He would glorify Himself and magnify Himself here in our small village.  We are praying that the well rig will burst through the rock and that there would be LOTS of water.  We are praying that God would show Himself POWERFUL, and that ALL the people here would see and know that our God is greater than their gods.

Will you pray with us?