Week 2&3

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I have gotten to learn a lot about the ministry here in the past two weeks. We got to see about every aspect of what goes on around here. Water pumps, irrigation, schools, medical clinics, etc…

Last week (June 15th) we drove 3 hours out of town… and I mean really out of town… to work around a lovely place called Nakor, where we laid our heads to rest at night.

The next day (June 16th) we got our first experiences working on water projects. We installed a solar panel and electric pump into a pre-existing well.

The second day of work (June 17th), the site was located across a river which we had to cross by foot. This river was roughly 400 meters across. Along with ourselves, we drudged across with a generator, welder, huge metal pipes, chains…. I’ve never crossed a large river on foot before. But I crossed this one 14 times that day. 13 times bare-footed cause (it took once for me to learn my lesson). Many of them past herds of camels drinking from the river… it was the craziest thing at the time, but now seems like a very plausible and normal day here in Africa. Oh, and did I mention I was tired that day.

We came back to town. Freshened up. Met a group of four great guys that came from a church in Rolla, Missouri to see what all was happening up here. Their church had raised support for a water well and solar farm.

We headed back out (June 19th) to Nakor with them and got to help with the drilling of 3 new handpumps and saw all stages of the operation over the course of the week. There are two water drilling teams of local Christian Turkana men that carry out the work year-round. We went back and forth between the two teams helping.

It is so heart-breaking and joyful to see the people get clean water for the first time. Some of the people have never seen clean water before. None of them have ever used clean water on a regular basis. They either take it straight from the river or dig small holes in the river bed. They take it home and stir it, and boil it, and try to get it cleaner but dirt is dirt. It is such a blessing to get to see them get water. The women have usually gathered with all their water containers when we finish a well. At one site, we watched a woman bathe her two kids in clean water for the very first time. Another place, we spoke with a woman who had crossed a river to come get our clean water. I love it. When we finish we get a chance to pray with the people when we are done and they are always very grateful.

Our fearless leader, Gene, has been here for 15 years and I’ve gotten to hear some incredible stories about how the church has grown in this area. He is a god-fearing man and has a real heart for helping and ministering to the people here. Over the years he has shifted leadership duties to the Turkana people while overseeing the water projects, Turkana Bible Training Institute, some medical clinics, has helped start some schools… big stuff. Good stuff. Oh, and he’s 61. Talk about a retirement….

That is about it for now. From now on we are scheduled to be out with the drilling teams Monday-Friday, working all day, and sleeping outside, and all that jazz. Hope this blog finds you well. Pray for God to give me the strength and energy to work hard. Pray for opportunities for us to share the Gospel across our language barrier. And pray for my teammate Josh as well. Cause we’re a team.


Water-drilling specifics if you're into that kind of thing:

Generally we place hand pumps along rivers where we know there is water. A committee of local church leaders decide which areas need them the most. We have a drill (which is just a bit attached to long sqare rods of metal with a handle at the top) which we assemble in sections and hand turn until we fill the bit up with sand and then pull up. Repeat for about 4 hours and you usually hit water.

After we hit water and fit all the casing and piping in, we put a hand pump on the well. If the well proves faithful, we can put up a solar panel, and replace the hand pump with an electric pump which will be powered at all times during the day and the people can use to water a farm.



And for your Google Earthing pleasure:

Nakor (where we slept)- 2°36.929N 36°15.677E

1st solar pump - 2°684N 36°14.678E

2rd handpump - 2°37.78N 36°15.911E

3rd handpump - 2°41.909N 36°15.503E