Soup turned into water! Another successful Wilmslow Wells for Africa Souperday On February 15th, more than 150 Wilmslow Wells for Africa supporters attended the Souperday at St. John’s Church Rooms, Knutsford Road, Wilmslow, and they heard Joanna Southgate, the charity’s chairman, read extracts from an e-mail received from Pastor Barry Ilunga in which he talked excitedly about the celebrations, following the opening of a clinic, at Mibila, in Zambia, for which Wilmslow Wells for Africa had funded a borehole. A baby girl had been born in the safety of the clinic the night before the official opening and Barry says, “Let me say, I felt a sense of fulfilment to see the baby born and people being attended to. It (the clinic) is a great blessing! Thank you for helping this community to have a health facility within their reach! Thank you to all who have contributed to this community-transformation project!” This was exciting news because Sarah Ventress, from the Ivy Cottage Church at Didsbury, which funded the building of the clinic, came to speak at the October Souperday. Sarah had recently returned from a three-month trip to Zambia, during which time she had helped with the clinic’s construction. She, also, visited the village of Kapeshi, for which Wilmslow Wells for Africa had previously funded a borehole, and she said, “Having a borehole always gives a huge lift to a community’s national standing. No longer is Kapeshi just another scattered village somewhere in the African outback; it has status and it is firmly established on the government’s map. The crucial first stage in helping the development of any village is having clean water. The well also becomes the community’s focal point; a place where people congregate and gather for various social events.” Wilmslow Wells for Africa has recently agreed to fund a further project in this area for the village of Kansanta - so watch this space!