May he have dominion from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 72:8 NRSVue
Yesterday was World Rivers Day and I've decided to offer a follow-up to my Groundling blog for September 22 about the importance of rivers.
Time Magazine ran a cover article about the ever-growing issue of water usage in the United States, focussing on the relentless pilfering of this precious resource from the once mighty Colorado River. The piece outlines how the Navajo people use the least amount of water, per capita, in the States yet they are allocated limited amounts from the Colorado while wealthier white jurisdictions push to the front of the line. There are a number of states that draw from the Colorado and they are squabbling about allocations of water that doesn't exist because of overuse and climate change accelerated drought. It is a pathetic and absurd image of state officials duking it out over hypothetical H2O.
As Canadians we should be aware that the Mackenzie, Canada's longest river at 1700 kilometres, is experiencing its own crisis. Water levels are about two metres below what would be considered normal because of drought. Indigneous elders say that they have never seen the river so low. The river basin extends into five provinces and territories which means that Great Bear and Great Slave Lakes are at very low levels, as are smaller rivers feeding into the Mackenzie.This means that a vital transportation conduit has been compromised and communities are stranded when it comes to supplies, everything from food to fuel. Indigenous people along the Mackenzie describe themselves as "river people" and there is a spiritual significance as well as the physical. They know that climate change is a contributing factor to this drought.
As people of the Creator and as Christians we must pay attention to what is happening in this land blessed with abundant water we take for granted. Let's keep in mind that the Canadian motto comes from Psalm 72 and includes a reference to a River.
No comments:
Post a Comment