After having spent much of their lives growing a family business, a couple entering their sixties retired. Not about to spend the rest of their days sitting idle, they researched needs in third-world countries and founded a nonprofit organization to help pipe fresh water into towns and villages. Members of many small communities in these countries had to walk miles to rivers or springs and could bring back only what filled vessels they could carry.

Establishing the mission of the nonprofit was the easy part. To take the next step, the couple, as the directors of the organization, selected a country to start with and initiated communication through the embassy with the government. At the same time, they sent representatives into that country to travel, speak with community leaders, and identify needs for piping water.

Strangely, though the directors expected to hear from the representatives shortly after they arrived in the country, they received no communications of any kind. Not a single text message from a single employee. Nor did they respond to calls or messaging.

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By David Armstrong, who writes weekly about prayer at Ere You Left Your Room This Morning

Two young women were among a group of eager teenagers who boarded a raft for an exciting river experience. Before they pushed off from the shore, their guide told them to fasten their life vests securely and gave them a safety speech. Each passenger picked up a paddle, and off they went down the river.

The water at first was quiet and peaceful, the current relaxed and placid. After a mile of pleasantly floating downstream, however, the roar of the first rapids met their ears. The girls’ excitement rose as the raft rounded a bend and the thrashing white water came into view. The guide yelled for everyone to paddle faster.

Despite their best efforts, the raft quickly shot into an eddy and hit a rock. The pressure of the river folded the raft in half. When the craft finally broke loose from the rock, it whipped open with a violent surge, tossing everyone but the guide into the cold, churning water. 

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Isaiah feared for the people of his village. Several months ago, civil war had erupted in their country as a military group tried to wrest control of the government from the president and his supporters. The guerrillas had started ranging through the less populated areas and seizing resources from the villages and small towns. They had taken harsh measures against any who resisted them.

Today, word came to Isaiah that a group of guerrillas was headed their direction.

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