I thirst!
These words leaped off the page of my Bible to me as I prayed about Gods direction upon our life. Let me put it in context. As many of you know, I have a passion to share the love of Jesus and to alleviate human suffering wherever possible. We have partnered with three orphanages over the years; Grace Child Development Center in Karimnagar, India with pastor Prasad there, helping them build a childrens home and a wall to keep snakes out.
Presently, our hearts have been broken by the needs of the orphans served by pastor Victor Otieno Gumba in Migori, Kenya who, because of the drought, have had to travel 17kms each day to obtain water from a muddy riverbed. They must have clean water. As Chrisitians we have responsibility to support widows and orphans, and if you have followed us on Facebook, you know how this work of caring for less than 20 children has now grown to 59 children receiving food clothing and schooling each day.
Yet, the drought there has been severe and they must have water to live. The riverbed where they have been obtaining water has dried up,leaving them to dig trenches in the mud to obtain water, that is now 17 km away!
Even this poor donkey is exhausted.
Yet the words of Jesus are crystal clear:
Come you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation at 25: 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye of the world: 35 for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Giving a drink to someone in need, is an act that Jesus takes very personally.
So, as I prayed about the water situation in Kenya, Holy Spirit will not leave me alone to attempt to walk on by and do nothing. I know, and if I claim to be His disciple I need to DO something. Hence the encounter I had in my daily morning prayer and Bible reading time.
“I thirst” is the voice of Jesus in this situation. So I began the research to see what could be done. Seems that there is clean water available that requires a deep water well to obtain as the aquifer is 600’ deep. To confirm this fact, we negotiated with various drilling companies in Kenya to obtain a certified hydrological report from a geological firm there. Yes, there is clean water available at a depth of 200 meters on the site of the orphanage and church. So I obtained three estimates on what it would cost to have this drilled and pumped to the village. Estimates came in at 35,000USD, $19,700USD, and the one I am currently working with at $14,000USD. I have set up an account with this firm and their bank so that all monies raised, go directly to them to pay for their contract with me. Not one dime goes to any administrative or ministry expense. It costs me roughly $5-10USD to transfer funds doing a bank to bank transfer(actually it cost $62) It seems my work as a project manager here in construction works well everywhere, Obtaining 3 written estimates on any potential contract is simply good business anywhere in the world. My dream would be to fly over there with one of my family members to dedicate this well and present final payment to this company, and of course. Encourage the pastors there, and the Bible school graduates from pastor Mukwa’s Bible school in Eldoret. Yet this requires airline tickets and travel expenses around $4000.00.
I started a GoFundMe to make it easy for people to donate, but discover they take 15% of funds raised and only release monies raised by the 16th of each month on the 22nd of each month. https://www.gofundme.com/drill-a-well-in-migori-kenya
Monies received on the Paypal link are received instantly and only cost us 2.5% as a certified charity. Much better deal.
TOnight we are hosting a missions support dinner here in Tulsa, please join us if you are able.
Each day as I drink a glass of filtered water, or simply turn on the tap and take a daily shower, I am grateful for the gift of clean water. I am reminded again of the Lakota saying Mni Wiconi – which translates as ‘Water Is life’.
This well will allow this community to drink clean water, and also to water their animals and crops during dry seasons. Since most of their food is grown in their gardens, this well allows them to provide for themselves, and perhaps to produce enough quality crops to sell at market to supply for their needs.
We have struck water in Migori well project!
https://www.facebook.com/victor.agumba/videos/pcb.1785171924958307/1785170384958461/?type=3&__tn__=HH-R&eid=ARDnPEs8ujOqmlMS7kjNZY7xAg9iRQwQgEtmcgydlX-QbGDohumpda-dvExRtAB3YNvFj0xRF8iEwUnR
Yet to get water usable requires an additional $9-10,000 in pumping and pump purchase costs. I am reminded of this verse: Isaiah 66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. Please continue to pray and support this critical need. The love of God knows no borders. Let our prayer and giving ascend as worship before the throne of God, as we make headlines in heaven, an eternal difference with our lives lived here. Today, I had a donor agree to match funds donated up to $10,000USD. Please help! Let’s finish this strong!
It is with great excitement and celebration, finally, clean safe water from the deep aquifer is available to our Children and the community of Kinyarwanda and the surrounding community, the whole community celebrated in songs and traditional dances, smiles and laughter filled the community as for the first time in their lives jump up and down and played in the water as it fells on their heads to wet their shirts and cool them off in the hot afternoon sun,it is an exuberant moment for my community as tears of joy rolled down their faces thinking of many years they have suffered without clean and safe water.it has been a long journey for such an excellent water project to be achieved, Now the community has permanent clean and safe water, No more using donkeys to ferry water or walking 17 km to the river. The Community wish to Thank Chris KarenWalsh and other friends for coming to rescue our children and the community in Nyatike Kenya
Now the community is working on building a ‘wash house’. Men and teens have cleared land and made bricks to construct the building, but money is needed for 1. The metal roof, and 2. A reservoir that allows people to obtain water at night after solar panels stop running the pump. IT costs $1700USD.
Yeah team JESUS, let’s finish this strong for the glory of God! Presently the wash house is built but requires $1000 to purchase the 10,000l holding tank that will serve as a reservoir so that the village can obtain water after the sun goes down. Please help.
As time as gone on, pastor Victor made the remark stating: ‘Is is so good to see our children no longer sick for months at a time because now they get clean drinking water’