Water is a gift: not a commodity

The Bishop of Ely, Stephen Conway, has asked people in the region to be mindful of the shortage of water as they go about their daily business and to support the farming community in whatever ways they can.

Bishop Conway told members of his Diocesan Synod at Witchford Community College near Ely yesterday that it was important for people not to take the gift of water for granted: “We generally take water for granted in our green and pleasant land. Clean, fresh water is perhaps the most precious natural resource which is available to us. We must start regarding it as a gift from God and not as a commodity.”

The Bishop has travelled widely in various parts of the world where the shortage of water is acute:

“Access to clean water is denied to 1.1 billion poor people across the world. We need to be more grateful for what we receive and to be much more conscious of the need to collect rainwater when it comes.”

As worries about a local drought continued to escalate over recent days, Bishop Conway said:

“ The Fens are particularly affected, worse effected, indeed, than other parts of the region.

We need to pray for and support our farmers through a situation which for some is likely to get worse before it gets better.

He added: “Farmers who have irrigation technology are not affected at the moment; but farmers who do not are in a bad way and need our particular prayers and concern. Donations to farmers’ charities will help a lot in the coming months.”

12th June 2011