By Esther Espinoza
Maya Flores wiped the sweat from her forehead and grabbed her long, straight black hair, twisting it up into a high bun. She licked her dry lips and looked up at the clear blue sky. There was no sign of rain. She groaned, wishing it would suddenly pour and cool them all down—and wishing her family had a car so that they wouldn’t have to walk an hour and a half each way to church.
Maya’s twin sister Jimena walked in front of her, fanning herself with a long leaf she had picked up from the ground. She looked just as exhausted and thirsty as Maya felt.
“I’m thirsty,” moaned the girls’ seven-year-old brother Lucas.
The sound tore Maya’s attention away from her sister. She turned to see Lucas’s scrunched-up, sweaty face tilted toward Papa.
“I know, Lucas. We can have a drink when we get to church,” Papa said gently. He removed his glasses and wiped the sweat from his eyes and forehead.
“Why don’t we play a game?” Mama suggested, smiling as she walked beside Papa.
“Yeah!” Lucas jumped into the air. “Can we play ‘Guess the Animals’?”
Mama nodded.
Maya grinned at how excited Lucas looked. At least the game was a great distraction. Even though she was ten, she still loved playing games. They made the long, thirsty walk much easier.
Soon the family arrived at church, drank plenty of cool, refreshing water, and enjoyed singing and listening to the Bible stories Pastor Roger told.
When church was over, the family said goodbye to their friends, prayed for God’s protection, and began the long walk home.
“It’s so hot,” Jimena moaned.
Maya nodded. “There’s no breeze.” She lifted her face toward the dark sky and sighed.
“I’m thirsty, Mama,” Lucas complained.
Maya laughed softly. “You’re always thirsty, little brother.”
“I’m really thirsty too,” Jimena added. “I can’t wait to get home and drink some cool, delicious water.”
Maya licked her lips. She was extremely thirsty too. She could almost feel the cool drink sliding down her throat. But she also knew the government had strict water restrictions in their town. They hadn’t had running water for three days, and they had been surviving on what Mama had collected in their big brown ceramic barrel.
Earlier that day, before leaving for church, Maya had wanted a drink, but there had been no water left. She had run to tell Mama, and Mama had sighed and said that, God willing, the water should come back that night.
Now, as the family neared their house, Maya prayed silently in her heart that the water had returned.
As soon as the little house came into view, Lucas squealed. “Beat you to the front door!” He bolted.
The twins looked at each other and laughed as they ran after their little brother. Even though Lucas was younger, he was fast and beat them to the door.
“I won!” Lucas shouted proudly.
“We let you win!” the twins said in unison, bursting into giggles.
Papa opened the front door, and everyone hurried inside.
“I want water, Papa,” Lucas announced, heading straight to the ceramic barrel in the corner of the room. It was connected to the tap by a small hose.
Maya bit her bottom lip. She hoped with all her heart that the water had come back.
“We don’t have water in the barrel, son,” Papa said gently, “but God willing, we may have running water.”
Papa turned on the tap and waited for water to drip from the hose into the barrel. The family waited. And waited.
Nothing.
Papa slowly turned the tap back off again. Maya exhaled and turned to her sister. She looked just as disappointed as Maya felt.
“But I’m really thirsty.” Luca’s voice wobbled. Tears filled his eyes as he looked up at Mama.
Mama ruffled his curly hair and pressed her lips together. “I know, darling,” she whispered.
Maya saw tears shining in Jimena’s eyes too. She grabbed her sister’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze.
“We are all thirsty, and God knows we need water,” Papa turned to his family. “We need to pray right now.”
Everyone nodded, and together they knelt right there in the corner of the room.
“Dear Lord,” Papa prayed, “You know we need water. Please send us some so we can drink. Thank You, Lord Jesus. Amen.”
“Amen,” echoed around the room.
Suddenly the family heard it: Drip . . . Drip . . .
The sound froze everyone in their spots.
Maya gasped.
The family rushed to the barrel. To their shock, water was trickling out of the hose—even though the tap hadn’t been turned on.
The barrel began to fill.
“Water!” the children shouted in disbelief.
Papa suddenly rushed outside to the garden tap. Maya followed close behind. He turned it on, but not a single drop came out. He checked every tap in the house. There was no water anywhere.
Maya stared at Papa, tears streaming down her face.
God had answered the family’s prayer.
The barrel filled right to the top—and then, just as suddenly, the water stopped.
The family knelt again and prayed, thanking God for the miracle.
“This is the best water I have ever had!” Lucas said, licking his lips as he finished the last of his cup.
Maya giggled and nodded. She completely agreed — this was water from heaven!
