A Retelling of John Chapter 4 / Adaptacin del captulo 4 de San Juan Susannah sighed as she draped her headcovering over

her long raven hair. Picking up an empty clay urn, she set out on the long, hot, dusty walk to fetch water from the communal well near Sychar, the Samaritan village where she lived. She approached the well warily, because there sat a strangera Jew, judging by appearance. She was astonished when the man asked her for a drink of water, because the Jews religious customs forbade them any interaction with the Samaritans, whom they considered unclean. Youre a Jew and Im a Samaritan! she exclaimed. Why do you ask me for a drink? Susana suspir mientras se cubra su larga caballera negra. Tomando un cntaro vaco, se encamin por el largo y polvoriento sendero que conduca al pozo comunal que haba en las afueras de Sicar, la aldea samaritana donde viva. Se acerc al pozo con cautela, pues vio a un desconocido sentado junto al mismo, que por su apariencia era judo. Cuando el hombre le pidi que le diera un poco de agua, ella se sorprendi. Las tradiciones religiosas de los judos les prohiban tener trato alguno con los samaritanos, a quienes consideraban inmundos. -Eres judo, y yo samaritana -exclam-. Por qu me pides que te d de beber?

If you knew who I was, the stranger replied, you would be the one asking for water. Susannah was mystified. How could this man get water out of the well? He had nothing to pull it out with. The stranger answered with words that she would later repeat until they were imprinted upon her memory words that millions after her would draw hope from.

-Si supieras quin soy -repuso el hombre-, seras t la que me pedira agua. Susana estaba desconcertada. Cmo iba a sacar aquel hombre agua del pozo si no tena con qu? Su interlocutor le respondi con palabras que quedaron grabadas en su memoria de tanto que ellas las repas, palabras que desde entonces han infundido esperanza a millones de personas.

Everyone who drinks water from this well will get thirsty again. But anyone who drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. The water I give comes from the fountain of eternal life. Susannah was astonished. Youre a prophet, I see, she began. You might be able to settle a certain dispute then. My people have always worshiped on Mount Gerizim, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the only place to worship. The fact that a Jewish ruler had destroyed the Samaritans temple on their holy mountain 200 years earlier went unspoken, but clearly it was on her mind. -Todo aquel que beba de este pozo volver a tener sed. En cambio, el que beba del agua que Yo le dar jams volver a tener sed. El agua que Yo doy proviene de la fuente de la vida eterna. -Veo que eres profeta -seal-. En ese caso, tal vez puedas aclararme algo. Mi pueblo siempre ha adorado en el monte Gerizim; pero los judos afirman que Jerusaln es el nico sitio donde se debe adorar. Si bien la mujer no mencion que 200 aos antes un rey judo haba destruido el templo de los samaritanos, seguramente lo tena muy presente.

Believe me, the stranger replied, the time is coming when you wont worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. God is a Spirit, and those who worship God must worship Him in in spirit and truth. She marveled at this answer. God a Spirit who she could worship anywhere? Her race, religion, gender, background, age, could none of that matter? She felt warmed by the idea of Gods love being Inclusive of all people, even herself. There was something else she wanted to ask. I know that the Messiah will comethe one called Christand explain everything to us.

-Creme -contest el hombre-, llega la hora en que no se adorar al Padre ni en este monte ni en Jerusaln. Dios es Espritu, y es preciso que quienes lo adoran lo hagan en espritu y en verdad. Ella se maravill de aquella respuesta. Dios era un Espritu al que poda adorar en cualquier parte? Significaba aquello que ni su raza, ni su religin, ni su sexo, su edad o su extraccin social tenan importancia alguna? Le atrajo la idea de que el amor de Dios no excluyera a nadie, ni siquiera a ella. Le surgi entonces otra pregunta: -S que vendr el Mesas, al que llaman el Cristo, y nos explicar todas las cosas.

The stranger gazed into her eyes, and her heart beat faster. I am that one! Her eyes widened and her thoughts raced. I must tell my friends and family! Wait here for me! Susannah rushed back to Sychar, her still-empty urn forgotten. The midday heat had passed, and people were milling around the market square. She excitedly told all those she could about the man she had met and their conversation. He must be the Christ! she exclaimed. Soon Susannah returned to the well at the head of a small crowd. The stranger was still there, now accompanied by several men, and from them she learned that the strangers name was Jesus.

El hombre la mir a los ojos. El pulso de la mujer se aceler. -Soy Yo! Susana abri los ojos como platos. Se le agolparon cantidad de pensamientos en la cabeza. -Debo ir a contrselo a mis amigos y a mi familia! Esprame aqu! Susana volvi a Sicar a toda prisa, olvidndose de su cntaro an vaco. Ya haba pasado el calor del medioda, y la gente deambulaba por la plaza del mercado. Con inmenso entusiasmo les cont a todos los presentes su encuentro con aquel hombre y la conversacin que haba tenido con l. -Tiene que ser el Cristo! -exclam. Susana regres pronto al pozo al frente de una pequea multitud. El extrao segua ah, aunque acompaado de varios hombres que le dijeron que se llamaba Jess.

He did not stay a stranger, because the people were captivated by what He told them. Some of them invited Him and His companions to stay with them, so Jesus spent two days in Sychar, explaining the Holy Scriptures. Some days later, Susannah made her way back through town with a full water pot. Her load was heavy, but her steps were light. She still needed to fetch water daily, but her inner emptiness was gone.

La gente, cautivada por lo que l deca, no tard en entrar en confianza con l. Algunos invitaron a Jess y a Sus compaeros a quedarse en su casa. A raz de ello, l estuvo dos das en Sicar explicando las Sagradas Escrituras. Unos das despus, Susana cruz el pueblo con un cntaro lleno de agua. Aunque le pesaba mucho, caminaba con paso ligero. Todava tena que ir a buscar agua todos los das, pero ya no senta un vaco por dentro.

One of the townsmen who noticed her walking by said, You tried to convince us that this man Jesus was the promised Messiah. Well, now we believe no longer just because of what you told us, but because we have heard Him ourselves and are certain that He is the Savior! Susannah smiled as she went on her way. She was not the only one who had found the living water!

Uno de los aldeanos al verla le dijo: -Trataste de convencernos de que ese hombre, Jess, era el Mesas prometido. Ahora lo creemos no solamente por lo que nos dijiste, sino porque lo omos nosotros mismos y tenemos la certeza de que es el Salvador. Susana sonri y sigui caminando. No haba sido la nica que haba descubierto el agua de vida aquel da.

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Art by Zeb. Dramatized story Activated Magazine.