Stories
When seeing water pumped from a well for her first time, a woman asked, “Where does this water come from? The mountains? The rivers?” When told it came from under the very ground on which she stood, she buried her face in her hands and through tears, she replied, “You mean I’ve been sleeping on it all of these years?”
Nigussie
A farmer named Nigussie spent many long hours in the heat plowing the fields and harvesting his crops. He then walked home to his wife and asked her for a drink to quench his thirst. Though it wasn’t much, he gulped every drop of water he could. That sleepless night he had to repeatedly go outside due to diarrhea and to vomit from the water he drank. He had to be carried to the hospital 20 miles away, but it was all to no avail because Nigussie died before receiving any medical treatment.
Children
A not so uncommon occurrence for mothers is taking their children to the local clinic to have leeches removed from their throats. Most villages draw water from springs, which are in most cases not protected, and several children suffer from all kinds of diseases they get from the spring water as there is no alternative. Livestock, draught animals and cattle all share the same water so children are always sick and have to be taken to a nearby clinic time after time.
Sanbuto
A malnourished three-year-old little boy with spindly little legs, a large extended belly and an enlarged head was seen struggling to walk up a hill. Obviously, this child needed a doctor but his mother could not afford the costs. A good samaritan made sure the boy was treated and learned that the doctor discovered more than 70 intestinal worms in his belly. After receiving medical attention in time, Sanbuto is now on his way to making a full recovery, all for only $25.
Hospital of Hope
On a 2009 trip to Ethiopia, we celebrated with the Wachilal community over their new gift of clean water. An elder shared words of thanks on behalf of his village, sharing something so profound that it will forever be etched as one of the greatest reasons that we do what we do. Through translation, the elder said, “Your gift of this water is the same as building a hospital right here in our village.”
At this moment, the magnitude of clean water was unveiled: it is truly life or death. The gift of clean water meant that children would no longer drink disease down with every gulp of thirst. Bodies would begin to grow stronger and healthier. Clean, fresh water would give life, instead of death. This water was their future. This water was their health. This water was their source of life.
Halleluiah
Upon entering the village of Horo, the members of the community greeted us with beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers and glowing candles to welcome us. As we greeted the members of the village, one woman emerged from the crowd and her eyes connected with mine. She made her way to the front of the crowd and wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace. As she held onto me, she began chanting “halleluiah, halleluiah” over and over, until a rhythmic pattern developed. Time seemed to stand still as she clung to me tightly, and the rest of the village began chanting with her. I could feel the vibration of the words being chanted in unison. I had no understanding of how long this moment would last, I just knew that I was holding onto this moment for as long as God let it be.
I felt her embrace begin to lift away from me, and I wondered if this moment was coming to an end. Although her embrace seemed to lighten some, I realized that she had not completely let go of me, her hold had just somehow shifted. It wasn’t until I later saw a picture (that someone else had taken) of this very moment that I understood what was happening at the time. At the moment in which I felt her embrace soften, she had raised her hands overhead in gratitude to give praise to our Lord..
Her entire soul expressed that God had indeed been steadfast in answering her long-spoken prayer for water, and her many years of hope and faith-filled patience. God had heard her cries for better days. God was standing with us, among us, all around us, and inside each of us. With every vibration of the word “Halleluiah,” I could feel God celebrating with us.
Goat Skin Story
Often times when donors visit the villages where wells have been built, the people of the village want to present a gift to say thank you for providing them with clean water. The donors may be treated with a meal of bread and honey, or a coffee ceremony. In one particular village, after a meal of bread and honey, the elders announced to their guests that the women had made a gift for them. They gave them a beautiful hand-painted picture on a tanned goat skin. The women had come together and prepared the goat skin and then painted a scene of life in their village on the hide. The people in the village have so little, but they used what they had to make a beautiful gift for the people who had changed their lives.
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a special day for all those mothers out there, and as we honor the mothers in our lives, I ask you to take a moment to think about mothers that are a world away. Mothers that you may never meet, but yet you share something so deeply with. What we share is a love for our children that is unshakable, unselfish, and unending. A love that will cause a mother to rise early in the morning, before the first rays of sunlight pierce the dark sky, and walk for hours to the only source of water that is available for her family. The water is unclean, not even safe to give to animals, yet it is the only water that is available. So she gives it to her thirsty children, and she says a silent prayer. A prayer that begs for the health of her children, that this water that she gives them today does not make them sick, does not take their lives.
On Mother’s Day, as I think about all the mothers that I know, I also think about all the mothers that I don’t know, that weep for their children. That weep for a life they wish they could provide for them. And I pray for those mothers and their children.
