Jason Pfingsten, the Founder and CEO of Thirst Missions, is our blogger today! Take a look at the background behind our name. We have also posted a video on YouTube if you would rather watch and listen:
In
Belize, on the mission field, thirst comes quickly. Thirst comes quickly while doing a
construction project, participating in sports ministry, leading hundreds of
children through a Vacation Bible School, or sitting through church service. As
a matter of fact, just standing in the sun makes a person hot and thirsty in
minutes. The sun is hotter than most North Americans are used to. The humidity is higher than our bodies are
used to. In Belize, we sweat, we look
for shade and have to pace ourselves.
For thirst comes quickly.
In
the town of Sychar, in Samaria during Jesus time on earth,
thirst comes quickly as well. John 4
indicates that Jesus was tired from his journey. The disciples, whom he was traveling with,
went off to town to buy food, and he sat down by a well. I’m sure he was thirsty from his ministry in
the mission field of Samaria. The dry roads, hot sun, and long journey made him
thirsty. I’m sure traveling with needy and questioning disciples increased his stress
and also made him tired. He needed a drink of water. For thirst was upon him and he found a well
to drink from. But as always, he also
had a greater purpose in mind. For as he
was sitting by the well, a Samaritan woman approached the well to draw
water. He shouldn’t have offered her a
drink. Jews were above Samaritans in
status and privilege. Jews didn’t serve
Samaritans, especially Samaritan women.
But Jesus offered to serve her.
She was stunned. And
confused. Jesus tells her in John 4:13-14,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the
water I give him will never thirst.
Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water
welling up to eternal life.” Jesus offered the Samaritan woman water that was
eternal. Later on in John 4 she comes to
somewhat understand what he is talking about. He offers her water which would
never make her thirst again for the things of this world. The living water of eternal life.
the town of Sychar, in Samaria during Jesus time on earth,
thirst comes quickly as well. John 4
indicates that Jesus was tired from his journey. The disciples, whom he was traveling with,
went off to town to buy food, and he sat down by a well. I’m sure he was thirsty from his ministry in
the mission field of Samaria. The dry roads, hot sun, and long journey made him
thirsty. I’m sure traveling with needy and questioning disciples increased his stress
and also made him tired. He needed a drink of water. For thirst was upon him and he found a well
to drink from. But as always, he also
had a greater purpose in mind. For as he
was sitting by the well, a Samaritan woman approached the well to draw
water. He shouldn’t have offered her a
drink. Jews were above Samaritans in
status and privilege. Jews didn’t serve
Samaritans, especially Samaritan women.
But Jesus offered to serve her.
She was stunned. And
confused. Jesus tells her in John 4:13-14,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the
water I give him will never thirst.
Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water
welling up to eternal life.” Jesus offered the Samaritan woman water that was
eternal. Later on in John 4 she comes to
somewhat understand what he is talking about. He offers her water which would
never make her thirst again for the things of this world. The living water of eternal life.
He
offers us the same. Maybe you are thirsty from life’s
stresses. The stresses of financial
strains, crushed dreams, family burdens, physical ailments, a full schedule,
rejection and disappointment. Maybe life
is moving along and you are just trying to hang on in a world full of
stress. Maybe you feel hopeless in this
world and without hope for the future. Maybe you are tired and thirsty, with a
thirst which you can’t seem to quench. Maybe
you need to sit down by a well and have Jesus offer you a drink. Amazingly, the
well is available more than two thousand years later, and it’s full of eternal
water. Jesus sits by the well for you just as he did for the Samaritan woman.
He offers you the same water he offered the Samaritan woman at the well. The living water of eternal life. Water which will quench your thirst from all your
earthly burdens. All you need to do is
trust and accept the water of eternal life Jesus is offering.
offers us the same. Maybe you are thirsty from life’s
stresses. The stresses of financial
strains, crushed dreams, family burdens, physical ailments, a full schedule,
rejection and disappointment. Maybe life
is moving along and you are just trying to hang on in a world full of
stress. Maybe you feel hopeless in this
world and without hope for the future. Maybe you are tired and thirsty, with a
thirst which you can’t seem to quench. Maybe
you need to sit down by a well and have Jesus offer you a drink. Amazingly, the
well is available more than two thousand years later, and it’s full of eternal
water. Jesus sits by the well for you just as he did for the Samaritan woman.
He offers you the same water he offered the Samaritan woman at the well. The living water of eternal life. Water which will quench your thirst from all your
earthly burdens. All you need to do is
trust and accept the water of eternal life Jesus is offering.
This
is the same water we offer on short-term mission trips to Belize. Sure we get thirsty from being in the hot
sun, the humidity, the long busy days and hot nights. On the mission field, In Belize, we bring
the hope of quenching people’s eternal thirst.
Many Belizean people are dying of thirst, just as many Americans
are. But Belizean thirst is
different. Poverty, lack of education,
unemployment, lack of resources, hopelessness, disease, and lack of direction, make
people in Belize extremely thirsty. Thirsty for more than this life is
providing. We bring them water. The water of eternal life. The water Jesus was talking about. That’s
what our mission teams do. They go to Belize to serve, and they bring the
message of hope and the water of eternal life.
is the same water we offer on short-term mission trips to Belize. Sure we get thirsty from being in the hot
sun, the humidity, the long busy days and hot nights. On the mission field, In Belize, we bring
the hope of quenching people’s eternal thirst.
Many Belizean people are dying of thirst, just as many Americans
are. But Belizean thirst is
different. Poverty, lack of education,
unemployment, lack of resources, hopelessness, disease, and lack of direction, make
people in Belize extremely thirsty. Thirsty for more than this life is
providing. We bring them water. The water of eternal life. The water Jesus was talking about. That’s
what our mission teams do. They go to Belize to serve, and they bring the
message of hope and the water of eternal life.
Those
who go on our mission trips say unequivocally that experiencing some physical
thirst for a short time is worth it to help quench an immediate and eternal
thirst of those Belizeans they meet.
May those who step out and serve through Thirst Missions be blessed, and
be a blessing to all who are thirsty. Whether
you live in America or Belize, may the thirst of daily living and eternal life
be forever quenched with the water of eternal life that only Jesus can provide.
One day, may we thirst no more.
who go on our mission trips say unequivocally that experiencing some physical
thirst for a short time is worth it to help quench an immediate and eternal
thirst of those Belizeans they meet.
May those who step out and serve through Thirst Missions be blessed, and
be a blessing to all who are thirsty. Whether
you live in America or Belize, may the thirst of daily living and eternal life
be forever quenched with the water of eternal life that only Jesus can provide.
One day, may we thirst no more.
