Today we had visitors. It was unexpected really. It was a family that we’ve known for awhile and they’ve visited our home a few times. But it was unexpected.
And the news that they brought was also unexpected. Their baby died two days ago. My heart hurts for the mom who lost her baby. But my heart is also frustrated. The baby died, we assume, from dehydration. He had diarrhea. Again, we assume it was caused by drinking contaminated water.
It was so unnecessary.
We have taught this family the importance of clean drinking water. The nurses in the clinic have taught about the necessity of boiling their drinking water. It is maddening!
Too often when we talk to people about the importance of clean drinking water, they tell us that it doesn’t make them sick. They tell us that it makes us sick, as foreigners, because our systems are weak. They have always drank water from the river or from the water pipe and they’re not sick.
The reality lies just below the surface. They are sick! Their systems are fighting illness almost constantly. They frequently suffer from diarrhea, fever, and headaches. And yet, they deny that water could be the cause.
It’s not hard to see the spiritual parallel. Too many have been baptized into a religion that has offered them eternal salvation based on a list of rules—do good, give to the poor, be baptized. Those are the basics. Do more good than bad and be baptized and you might go to heaven. Keep working hard.
We have come to tell them that salvation comes from faith in Jesus Christ alone. We have proclaimed the Truth that Christ died on the cross to forgive them. They just have to accept that Christ’s salvation is sufficient. The message that we share sounds similar enough to what they are already doing. They believe in Christ, but they pray to Mary or another saint. They believe that Jesus died on the cross, but they light candles and repeat the “Hail Mary” over and over because Jesus is too busy to hear their prayers. Mary will listen and she will answer.
Too many people are dying and going to Hell because they believe that Jesus died for them. But they also believe that Mary forgives their sins. She listens to their prayers. She answers their requests. Jesus’ sacrifice for them was good, but essentially, it isn’t enough. They need more.
It’s so discouraging when I have a remedy that would heal their illness. There are medicines that would have healed that baby. And spiritually, there is a remedy too...faith in Christ, alone.
