A Letter from Kisima See All Pictures

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,

          Peace and Grace. A Message of Thankfulness.

          Water is Life! Physical water sustains life. We all need this water, and if our bodies become dehydrated and unless we take precautions, we easily die. Our bodies are 70% water. We must drink safe, clean drinking water for healthy living. We need it! Did you know that in other parts of the world most people starve to death because of thirst and especially due to a lack of clean and safe drinking water? This has been the challenge of my pastoral nomadic community in northern Kenya.

          We are so grateful for your generous support which enabled us to fulfill our urgent need for safe, clean drinking water. The mission of the Church in the semi-arid regions of Northern Kenya, which borders southern Sudan, is to help struggling communities as they seek to lift themselves out of a cycle of disease and poverty. Clean water is the fundamental basis upon which communities can subsist. Drilling a well to provide a clean source of drinking water will prevent water-born diseases, as well as eliminate the need for annual migrations of villages and their livestock in search of available water during the dry season.

          Through your partnership, and generous support from you, we were able to drill a water well at our pastoral village community in northern Kenya. After spring semester 2007, I traveled to Kenya in mid-June 2007. I had a strong passion to accomplish this water project. I began this process by consulting a Well Drilling and Geo-technics Consultant, who agreed to carry out a hydrological survey for the drilling of a well. After his official report on groundwater investigations, we applied for authorization to drill a bore hole [well] which was granted by the Water Resources Management Authority.

          We made a contract with a drilling company, Living Water International, in Nairobi, Kenya. The mobilization and demobilization process was a challenge due to the long distance [almost 300 miles away], and the hard traveling conditions on dusty dirt and few wet places on the endless desert road to the North. We traveled for two full days with a big rig and three huge trucks, all of which were needed for the drilling project. Because of prior experience on this road, I was ready to face the unexpected circumstances. I made an arrangement to rent a 4-wheel drive Suzuki car, which became a carrier for basic needs: food, water, first aid, bedding, tents and everything else necessary for the long safari.

          After we arrived at our drilling area, the Lmisigiyoi-Kisima village of 5,000 people, we were welcomed by a crowd of pastoral villagers. They were singing and rejoicing in anticipation of the fulfillment of their hope for safe, clean drinking water. The setting and drilling work took two days only, from June 19th to 20th. Water was reached at 50 meters, but for maximum water input the drilling went up to 90 meters [300 feet]. Then 6” pipes were installed. Test pumping was done on July 3rd and ended on July 4th. The yield was very high and will go a long way in alleviating the community water problem.

          Taking professional advice, the community constructed a pump house for the diesel engine and the pump machine, and also a water tank on top. The community also appointed a committee of nine members who will oversee the daily running and the maintenance of the water management.

          After the rig struck water at 90 meters, one of the elders shouted with joy and jubilation. He testified, “All these years, our people, cattle, goats and sheep have been walking and grazing on this ancestral land without knowing that there is water. We are grateful for western technology. We are thankful, to our friends who have made it possible for our children and all of us to drink clean and safe water.”

          Another member said, “Goodbye brown, dirty and contaminated water! I am so thankful that I will never again walk seven miles to fetch water with a 20-liter jerry can.” She was saying this while shedding tears of joy.

          One man held a cup of clean water from the well. He said, “This is fascinating. I have never seen crystal clear water like this in my life!” At that moment he drank four cups of water, non-stop!

          Another elderly woman said, “I am tired of boiling water trying to kill germs from contaminated water. I am tired of taking drugs for typhoid as a result of dirty and unsafe water.” She was so excited for the “miracle of clean underground water.”

          The dedication ceremony took place in the second week of August. We had a big celebration and prayers of thanksgiving. Your generous contributions have transformed this pastoral community. With ample clean, safe water our pastoral community, as well as neighboring schools, will have a stable, sustainable, and integral foundation to grow on. Our faith in the sanctity of human life and the environment demands our Christian response and good will with support from our partners in the Body of Christ.

          Thank you for quenching our thirst from the dusty, arid desert lands!

 The Rev. Michael Lolwerikoi - for Lmisigiyoi-Kisima pastoral nomadic community, Kenya.

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