Answer to Prayer

It was just before Christmas. Joanna Southgate, Chairman of Wilmslow Wells for Africa, was celebrating a successful barn dance that raised £1,000 towards projects for the year ahead.

Then the letter arrived from John and Wendy Hunt, writing on behalf of the Well of Living Waters Community Church at Misaka in the Copperbelt of Zambia.

"We are writing to see if you would consider us for a grant for a borehole at our church site. The area where the borehole is required is very rural. On the church land there is now the church building, a pastor's house, a school, teacher's house and a clinic and shop/house.

"We are teaching the community sustainable farming and helping to improve their way of life.

"The community currently get their water from a small stream; last year there was bilharzia (a parasitic worm that invades the pelvic area) in this water and another case has been diagnosed recently.

"Cattle use the water upstream, so the water is contaminated. Many people suffer from diarrhoea as a result. We have tried to encourage the use of chlorine, but to little avail.

"The borehole is needed to improve the health of the community and to enable the easier watering of another orchard of various fruit trees and vegetables, giving people fresh fruit all year round. A nursery would improve the health of the people, especially the children.

"Approximately 2,000 people live in the immediate area of the church plot. We thank you for your help and support in this proposed project and pray that the community will be blessed with a borehole."

Joanna Southgate says: "This letter is a very moving account of the need that afflicts so much of Africa - and is typical of the appeals we receive to help provide clean water."

With her fellow Trustees, Joanna asked for detailed reports on the potential project, which was evaluated by the charity's water engineer, Dr Dave Tonks.

John and Wendy Hunt were able to tell them that Drill Africa, the locally-based hydrogeological company, had assured them that there was water in the vicinity. They would also train a local person to sustain the borehole and pump.

Happily, Wilmslow Wells for Africa was able to provide £3,300 and the little community at Misaka received fresh, clean water in 2003.

Please visit Next Generation Missions for more information,

 

The first clean water comes through form a new borehole at Misaka in Zambia

Members of the Well of Living Water Community Church