Successful fresh water systems making a difference
KAMLE, NEPAL
Our partner in Nepal asked us for help for the Chepang people. They are poor, uneducated and a backward society. The are marginalized and heavily depend on the wild foods for their subsistence living. They collect root crops, herbs and fruits from their nearby forest are only 5 1/2 percent of the population. They are almost forgotten in their remote part of the mountains in Nepal.
They needed a water supply at their very remote place. A source had been located but it was 4 km away and if you do the math that is 2.49 miles. To the mountain people it did not seem very likely that they could get water from there. Our partners had an idea and with your donations we helped make the difference.
The pipe you see is 32mm and it was installed for the 2 1/2 miles from the water spring to their village.
They needed a water supply at their very remote place. A source had been located but it was 4 km away and if you do the math that is 2.49 miles. To the mountain people it did not seem very likely that they could get water from there. Our partners had an idea and with your donations we helped make the difference.
The pipe you see is 32mm and it was installed for the 2 1/2 miles from the water spring to their village.
WATER TANK
A 1,000 liter water tank was installed for collection of the water. And now 400 people benefit from it.
DEDICATION
The dedication of the water tank was a big deal. In addition to providing physical water, the living water of Jesus Christ is shared each week at a regular Bible Study. The impact is bearing fruit as children are encouraged to continue to go to school instead of getting married as young as 13 to 14 years old.
Dedication of a well with the chief in a village - Ghana, West Africa
A failed hand dug well
David and Sharon at Dedication in Ghana
The OPPORTUNITY
As we became aware of the need for fresh water in villages in Ghana where partner Theovision International was involved in sharing the Bible using audio Scriptures in local languages, we witnessed lives being changed for eternity. People accept living water, Jesus, when they hear about Him in their language for the first time. In villages where people were changed because of the acceptance of the living Word we witnessed tremendous physical needs.
People were experiencing the joy of having Jesus, the spiritual water; John 4:14. This Jesus taught…and…He healed. He witnessed physical hurt and distress and did something about it, time and time again. Using that model of Jesus' teaching (meeting spiritual needs) and healing (meeting physical needs) we had a desire to help make a difference. A difference by providing physical water in addition to the Spiritual water, Jesus Christ, that villagers were experiencing through weekly Bible studies. These Bible studies are led by local national missionaries using recorded Scriptures. Sometimes these weekly Bible Studies become churches.
Villages were selected by Theovision and we visited and met with village chiefs and elder leaders. Our approach was to help them understand the importance of their claiming ownership of the well that we wanted to provide. When local ownership is established, the well would more likely be maintained properly.
We often see the well set as a
As we became aware of the need for fresh water in villages in Ghana where partner Theovision International was involved in sharing the Bible using audio Scriptures in local languages, we witnessed lives being changed for eternity. People accept living water, Jesus, when they hear about Him in their language for the first time. In villages where people were changed because of the acceptance of the living Word we witnessed tremendous physical needs.
People were experiencing the joy of having Jesus, the spiritual water; John 4:14. This Jesus taught…and…He healed. He witnessed physical hurt and distress and did something about it, time and time again. Using that model of Jesus' teaching (meeting spiritual needs) and healing (meeting physical needs) we had a desire to help make a difference. A difference by providing physical water in addition to the Spiritual water, Jesus Christ, that villagers were experiencing through weekly Bible studies. These Bible studies are led by local national missionaries using recorded Scriptures. Sometimes these weekly Bible Studies become churches.
Villages were selected by Theovision and we visited and met with village chiefs and elder leaders. Our approach was to help them understand the importance of their claiming ownership of the well that we wanted to provide. When local ownership is established, the well would more likely be maintained properly.
We often see the well set as a
Water Well – a sustainable-ministry Utility
In explaining how they could do their part in maintaining the well, if we did our part by funding the installation of the well, we explained what a utility is, how it is capitalized, and how it is operated as a
business enterprise.
Simply stated, someone makes an investment, offers a product or service and people benefit.
Electricity is a good example they understand. Even if they have mud floors and thatched roofs and mud or block walls. Someone builds a power plant to generate electricity, put in poles and power lines that run to the end users.
Two important questions help explain how a utility company is successful. First question is, “what happens when a light does not work?”. The answer we’re looking for is – the light bulb is burned out. When the light bulb is burned out it is replaced: replaced by the customer who enjoys light from the bulb. Understanding there is a cost to enjoying light and electricity for appliances is a step in the right direction.
The second and perhaps more important question is, “what happens when you turn on a light switch?” The answer we wait for is – it costs a little. The small incremental cost by each “customer” adds up to the sizable amount that results in the return on investment (ROI) that the power company needs to continue to provide the electricity.
If the village is selected for a well the leaders establish a team or committee or council to manage the well. We often see the well set as a daytime well. It is locked during the night. This is for safety reasons because local villages sometimes walk miles to carry water home and it is dangerous at night.
In explaining how they could do their part in maintaining the well, if we did our part by funding the installation of the well, we explained what a utility is, how it is capitalized, and how it is operated as a
business enterprise.
Simply stated, someone makes an investment, offers a product or service and people benefit.
Electricity is a good example they understand. Even if they have mud floors and thatched roofs and mud or block walls. Someone builds a power plant to generate electricity, put in poles and power lines that run to the end users.
Two important questions help explain how a utility company is successful. First question is, “what happens when a light does not work?”. The answer we’re looking for is – the light bulb is burned out. When the light bulb is burned out it is replaced: replaced by the customer who enjoys light from the bulb. Understanding there is a cost to enjoying light and electricity for appliances is a step in the right direction.
The second and perhaps more important question is, “what happens when you turn on a light switch?” The answer we wait for is – it costs a little. The small incremental cost by each “customer” adds up to the sizable amount that results in the return on investment (ROI) that the power company needs to continue to provide the electricity.
If the village is selected for a well the leaders establish a team or committee or council to manage the well. We often see the well set as a daytime well. It is locked during the night. This is for safety reasons because local villages sometimes walk miles to carry water home and it is dangerous at night.
Maintaining this simple hand powered well will cost something in time when there is a breakdown. Making a small charge monthly for the residents of the village is forward planning. Having a fund to manage the well makes it possible to fix the well in the future. This fund is administered by the leadership group from the weekly Bible Study.
Two years after placing the first well in this way provided the following answer to the question, how is it working?; “We have more money than we will need to fix the well so we are meeting social needs.” Need we say more? The well will be maintained because the money will be available when needed.
Another reason this works is because someone from the partner Theovision International is in the village every week teaching the Bible using audio Scriptures. This regular ongoing monitoring or oversight of the well is an important feature of the process.
Perhaps someday this process should be reported to the World Health Organization.
KINGDOM ROI
Partnership is a wonderful thing. God provided the passion to a partner to teach the Bible using recorded Scriptures for functionally illiterate villagers. God blessed and lives are being changed. Meeting physical needs with fresh water helps in this Kingdom building effort; our return on investment.
Two years after placing the first well in this way provided the following answer to the question, how is it working?; “We have more money than we will need to fix the well so we are meeting social needs.” Need we say more? The well will be maintained because the money will be available when needed.
Another reason this works is because someone from the partner Theovision International is in the village every week teaching the Bible using audio Scriptures. This regular ongoing monitoring or oversight of the well is an important feature of the process.
Perhaps someday this process should be reported to the World Health Organization.
KINGDOM ROI
Partnership is a wonderful thing. God provided the passion to a partner to teach the Bible using recorded Scriptures for functionally illiterate villagers. God blessed and lives are being changed. Meeting physical needs with fresh water helps in this Kingdom building effort; our return on investment.
REACHING PEOPLE FAR FROM GOD
2010-2026
2010-2026