Leaders of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches met in Evian, France, on Saturday to gather under the theme, “Water – God’s gift for life.”

|TOP|The scarcity of clean water, its privatisation and distribution was discussed in a session that heard stories from Africa, Latin America and the United States.

“We live in a world which is blessed with oceans, seas, rivers, streams full of water and yet to some this is a nightmare because millions of people lack good drinking water,” said Peggy Mulambya-Kabonde of Zambia.

“In this situation water has become an essential commodity which many of our people have to queue for every day.”

She continued: “Water should not be wasted but be preserved wisely at all costs because it sustains all living creatures. Every drop counts. Water makes the world look beautiful. Where there is water, there is also life.

“In fact, it is true, when you save water, you save life.”

There is a scarcity of clean water for people living in developing countries, so water must be preserved. “It is my hope that a lasting solution will be found to uphold the dignity of man and woman that God created in his image for all to have safe and clean water,” Mulambya-Kabonde said.

Astrid Hardtke from Argentina said that the rights of many people have been taken away due to privatisation of water in Latin America. People cannot have access to water if they do cannot pay.

“We have to find a way to protect water and ensure that everybody can have access to it in an equitable way, not forgetting all the other creatures on earth. Using only the necessary amount of water at home and teaching our children is a first step but we must go further than this,” Hardtke said.

“Protesting against polluting factories and the wrong use of water and asking for protective laws will help to keep God’s gift for life safe.”

“I do believe that a powerful stream for disciples of Jesus the Christ is the social justice stream,” said American Oliver Patterson.

“Perhaps, during the last week of August 2005, God let the rest of the world see the underbelly of the United States: the oppressed, the poor, the former slaves. God made it clear that racism is alive and well in the U.S. and that institutional structures are designed to reinforce it.”

Seong-Won Park, executive secretary of WARC’s department of cooperation and witness, said WARC should apologise for the role of Christian theology in promoting the notion that the earth should be dominated, abused and exploited by mankind. Park said that now the WARC’s task should be to reintroduce the idea that water is more than a mere commodity and is God’s gift for life.