By Mary T. Newman

“…For I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink….”

Rev. Rosemary Brown is known to a lot of people–not just locally, but across the United States and in other countries as well. In the Nashville area, she can now be known as the “Water Lady. “

Brown recently led a joint ministry venture with Monroe St. and Jordonia UMCs to help vulnerable persons in the community stay hydrated during intense heat waves.

With the temperatures routinely in the high 90s, folks brought in small disposable coolers that they filled with donated bottles of cold water. 

Brown and other ministry partners then drove around Nashville and stopped when they saw someone along the way that seemed to have nowhere to go. They asked the person if they were thirsty. They gave out many bottles of cold water and even distributed entire coolers to groups of those vulnerable to heat stroke.

This ministry embodies Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, “For I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink.”

People are suffering from the recent heat waves. They may have nowhere to escape the heat. Your church community can immediately help those vulnerable to the heat by offering them cold bottles of water.

The heat waves will only continue. Follow Rev. Rosemary Brown’s lead and, when you see a neighbor in the heat, ask, “are you thirsty?”