It was a day for celebrating not long ago in one remote Nigerian village.
Why? CBN Worldreach was dedicating a newly-dug fresh-water well.
Isaac Adagbagyilo of Disciples Covenant Trust partnered with CBN Worldreach
to dig the well.
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The women carry the water.
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"The coming of the well is an established testimony to the fact
that God is good!" said Issac. "Every person that was at the
dedication rejoiced. And I know that they continue to rejoice because
they know for sure that something good has come to stay."
The drilling is not done in the rainy season when they might reach
a shallow water source. Instead they drill in the hot, dry season so
that they reach a deeper water source to make sure that they have water
year-round
Before the well was dug, village women were forced to walk miles to
find any kind of water. That's according to John Kalma, who coordinates
the CBN water well program in Nigeria.
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The water was dirty.
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"I had the opportunity to visit the village shortly after the
dedication," said Lisa Ryan, 700 Club co-host.
"So they walked three, four, five miles just to get water,"
Lisa said to John. "And then that water source might not be good
for drinking?"
"It is not good at all," said John. "Because that's
where animals have been drinking. So you can imagine the hazard it poses
to life."
Lydia Danladi lives in the village, as wife of the only church's pastor.
She, too, had to carry water for miles every single day.
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Clean water at last
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"You carried water from the river and it was full of dirt?"
asked Lisa.
"Yes, yes," said Lydia
It's that kind of dirty water that causes severe health problems in
rural Africa, especially among the children. River blindness, hepatitis,
dysentery…the infant mortality rate is astounding. Perhaps that's
why families treasure their children in Nigeria.
Carrying a baby on your back is probably the easiest part of being
a woman in rural Africa. Preparing dinner is backbreaking. And just
imagine the weight of one of the huge water basins. Now imagine not
having to carry one for several miles!
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Testing the new well
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"It is a joy to me and I cannot express my feelings concerning
this well, here just in the front of my own house," said Lydia.
John said that CBN's water well has had a spiritual impact on the village
residents as well, especially the Muslim chief.
"He said, 'The coming of this water is like the coming of the
Savior,'" said John, "to relieve them of the difficulty."
"The chief was still convinced when I spoke with him," said
Lisa.
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Jesus did this.
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"I'm already aware that it is Jesus who has sent you to do this,"
said the chief.
"And so it's so easy to make the transition -- this is water that
brings you physical life… yet there is a Savior who brings you
living water," said Lisa, "who brings you spiritual life.
I wish every partner of CBN could have been with me that day in Nigeria."
Donors can designate their gifts for the wells. The cost is $1,000.
Donors receive a specially dedicated well, a wooden plaque, a written
report, and a photo album from the dedication ceremony.
To sponsor a well send a check for $1,000 to Wells Project, CBN Center,
977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463. Write "Well
Project" in the memo field.
