September 24, 2008

Grace Moments by Dolores Martin

AND THE WELL WENT DRY

Sarah was born to a Jewish family who emigrated to the United-States from eastern Europe. They settled in a beautiful rural area of eastern Pennsylvania.

This was the land of opportunity. The land of the free.

BUT NOT FREE OF BIGOTRY!!!!!!!!

They moved into a small home surrounded by beautiful green pastures. As in most country areas, ones water supply came from a drilled well and/or stream. They had a good well. An abundance of water.

Her father was able to provide a good life for his family. They were happy.

A family had moved into the area and lived down the road. Sarah started school and walked past this home on her way to school.

Members of this family started to pick on Sarah. She began to experience harassment everyday on her way to school. This was very upsetting to her.

The abusive language was also directed at her parents. They were confused as to why this was happening.

They tried to be good neighbors and were well liked in this area. What was different with this new family.

It soon became known that members of the family belonged to the Klu Klux Klan.

This family intimidated Sarah and her family. Sarah and her family TURNED THE OTHER CHEEK and PRAYED that someday their neighbors would stop their verbal abuse.

Then MOTHER NATURE stepped in.

The neighbors WELL WENT DRY...........

Their neighbors were stressed and upset when they discovered that their WELL HAD RUN DRY.

Sarah had overheard them talking about the problems with their well on her way home from school. They were so focused on their water problem that they did not harass Sarah this day.

Drilling a new well is a costly venture even when there is a good chance of finding water. There is also the possibility of not finding water and having to drill more than one well.

I can speak from personal experience on this issue.

Then there is the problem of finding water to run the household while a new well is being drilled.

Sarah was a very caring child from a very caring family. When she told her parents about the plight of their neighbors, they responded in a positive manner.

Sarah and her family approached the family who had been harassing them and OFFERED TO SHARE THEIR WATER.

This offer was accepted by the abusive family. This incident caused them to pause and reflect on their bad behaviour and their BIGOTRY. They changed their ways and became good neighbors.