Wednesday, June 29th Update

Glorious day to all. It is very late here in Bumala Kenya, about 2 hours northwest of Kisumu, where we began drilling on Monday and I'm very happy to share with you that we have had real success with minor issues in getting water today. We didn't finish as hoped today but will be able to in the morning before we depart for Migori at noon. It has been an amazing trip so far with many positive things that have happened even since my last blog. On Tuesday, while much of the team was busy drilling the well or teaching the women and children of the community, 4 of us traveled into Kisumu to pick up well supplies and to visit Maisha Orphanage. I'm attaching a couple of pictures of the orphanage which some of you will be familar with. Bea was so pleased that we were able to come visit and they have done a lot since I last visited them last year. She is currently feeding 350 children each day with many of them being orphans and many with HIV. We were surrounded by the most precious kids while there. You will see a picture of two little boys that would not let go of me the whole time. It was a thrill for me to be with them for even a few minutes. Praise God for people like Beatrice Williamson who had a vision for her people.

It was a very long day and we did not get back to the community until 7:30pm and we came in the back way down dirt roads that none of us were familiar with and we were questioning whether we would actually make it back or not. You just can't imagine the trails we took with a van to get to the community. It is such an awesome experience.

Today started off with an opportunity to go see a school here in Bumala that a genteman by the name of Todd Lorentz has been involved in starting a couple of years back and has a team with him and staying in the same hotel as we are. Once he heard what we were here doing, he was extremely interested and wanted to know if we could come out and see his facility and look at the possibility of drilling some waterwells on the school property. His team is from Canada which includes a neurologist. We are excited because this looks like it will be our first well(s) where our Non-Profit Ministry (C-CADE) will actually be able to make some money for the ministry versus having to fund the wells ourselves.

We also had a pastor from northern Kenya that had heard we were coming and came to see just how we drill. He had been in the US last year and had a chance to come to the Water4 office last summer and was interested in buying a unit then but it was recommended he wait and come see how it is done while my team was drilling. Again, I can't be any more excited because he is going to buy a drilling unit himself and our team will be able to come up to his area and train the men on just how to drill. The pastor is Justice Ochuro and currently has 43 churches he is leading and planting new churches all of the time. I love his plan because it goes right along with our plan - drill a well close to churches (especially new ones) in order to draw people to the church to get water.

We were celebrating today as we hit the water table. So, a little out of character for me, we were dancing around the well site and celebrating arrival of water. I am so pleased with the response we have received from the men, women and children of the community. It is so far off the beaten path that many of the kids have never seen a white person. Some are scared but most are very curious and you can here them say (in Swahili) "White Man" "White Man". So cute.

Well, I'm exhausted and have to be up and ready to go by 6am. I would ask for your continued prayers for the team. We are all in great spirits but extremely tired. We have felt the prayers from the very beginning. Every community we will be visiting while here have been praying for us now for over a year and very excited to have a chance for a water well. You just can't fully understand the need for water unless you see it with your own eyes.

OK, until next time, may you be blessed as you have read this blog. Be praying for those lost souls that we are trying to reach through our efforts with the well. As I posted earlier, we have seen lives changed greatly because of what God has done. We honestly are having a hard time stopping to rest because of the joy of serving God in this way. Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you for your continued prayers.

God's blessings on each of you this day.