N i g e r ia
The Lohr family: Jason, Belen, Michaela (10), Joshua (9), Jonathan (3), and Michelle (18 months).
Our
“Empty” Tank
I
t wasn’t good news. We had just begun our medical missionary service at Ile-Ife Adventist Hospital in Nigeria when we learned that water would be released to our home only every few days due to a drought and electricity shortage. We knew that our full tank of water needed to last as long as possible and started conserving in ways we’d never thought feasible. Showers became bucket baths—scooping water from a
Jason and Belen with Michaela (6) and Joshua (5).
4
bucket with a cup, pouring just enough on our bodies to get slightly wet, lathering quickl y, a n d t h e n barely rinsing. Dishwashing was done in a large bowl with
Above: The Lohrs’ Nigerian home and water tank. Right: Checking a two-week-old baby delivered at Ile-Ife Adventist Hospital
soapy water that was then recycled to flush toilets that had more than a little in them. And the rinse water from a load of wash was drained into a plastic container to be used for the next load. After several days, we became a little nervous about our situation. Most of our neighbors had empty tanks and were hauling water from some distance. But, amazingly, after ten days our tank continued to provide us with the precious liquid of life. Then the morning came when water spewed from the pipe into our
