Water is colourless, odourless and tasteless

“Water is colourless, water is odourless, and water is tasteless. Water is used for cleaning, water is used for cooking, and water is used for washing”.

This has been Harriet’s song since the beginning of the week, she has just learnt the features of water in her elementary class and she’s not hoarding it, she is saring it with whosoever cares to listen. Harriet is a young girl of about 6 years of age growing up with her parents in a wonderful Christian family with strong values and ethics all aligned with the scripture. Harriet has a beautiful countenance and demeanour, you won't see Harriet sad or angry. Her parents who volunteer with a Christian non-governmental organisation come back home with gist, burdens and many prayer points anytime they come back from the missionary field. The only time Harriet is seen whimpering is when she is pleading with her parents to follow them to the mission field. She has had this desire since she was 4. Her father had promised her saying, “Once you are 6, Harriet, we’ll go to the mission field together” Harriet’s joy knew no bounds. Since that time she has been waiting to be 6 years old, she reminds her parents once in a while just to check if they haven’t changed their mind and their response has always been positive, this kept her going. On the 4th of November 2024, Harriet clocked 6, she was so elated and after devotion in the morning she reminded her parents of their promise and they told her she would be following them to the next outreach. The next outreach was scheduled for December and it was held in Abeokuta, Apena village. That was quite a distance and Harriet’s parents kept packing and packing because they wanted her to be safe and usually the environment in the mission field isn’t always as favourable as the one in the city. Harriet was not bothered, she just wanted to hop on and get to the mission field and experience all the things her parents had earlier narrated to her. Harriet’s parents joined the bus that was taking them to the village. Harriet got so tired and bored after a few hours but she was encouraged at intervals by her parents that they would soon be there. They spent 12 to 13 hours on the road, Harriet was fagged out and not as excited as when the journey began. On getting to the village, they prayed, greeted the village elders, ate, and went to sleep. The next morning, it was time for Harriet to have her bath and the villagers helped with a drum of water. This water didn’t fulfil all of the definitions Harriet has been taught in school, “water is colourless, odourless and tasteless”. Harriet’s mother told her, “The people in the village drink this water” and she replied, “No mummy, no one can drink this water, probably they don’t like us”. “They like us and that’s why they’ve gone out of their way to fetch us a drum full, this is what they drink and use for their daily activities here” Harriet’s mum replied, she was moved with pity so much that she told her mother, she won’t be bathing now probably when they come back after the morning session, she’d have her bath. Harriet saw a young lady drinking the water right when she stepped out and she was sad and worried for her, she saw young boys and girls with no slippers, torn clothes and carrying heavy firewood. Right there, Harriet faced her mum and said “I will continually share God’s word with everyone most especially people in communities like this” and her mum drew her close and gave her a big hug