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There were 15 people in my house when the well ran dry. It was Thanksgiving, and everyone knew that they did not have to flush every time. Those who were spending the night had learned how to take navy showers: turn the water on long enough to get wet, turn it off, soap yourself, turn the water on long enough to rinse, and turn it off again. If the water ever gets really nice and hot, then you know that you have left it on too long.Everyone knew this, but we still ran out of water. When I turned the kitchen tap to fill the coffee pot after Thanksgiving dinner, all that came out was a long airy gasp. “We’re out of water!” I yelled.

Roman Catholic and Protestant leaders in the Philippines, Asia’s most predominantly Christian nation, have said they plan to be as active in the affairs of civil society this year as they have been in the past.

Christians have been active in the social and political life of this mainly Catholic country, particularly in the campaigns against environmentally destructive industries and extrajudicial killings. They have also supported farmers’ calls for genuine agrarian reform and have been involved in peace-building efforts.