Clean Water
John 4:14 “but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I will give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The Chabusiku village chief joins the group as David the evangelist from the Peace Center directs the water.
2022
In 2022 a water well was installed at the main campus of BCHC by an engineering company from Bunia. It was funded completely by an anonymous donor who was moved by an article that appeared in an Anglican Relief Development Fund (ARDF) newsletter (see https://ardf.org/blog/drc-bisoke-helping-the-hurting).
The well has been an enormous blessing to the school as it saves the expense of purchasing water by the barrel; it also provided water for hand washing throughout the Covid outbreak.
Bunia Children Hope Center Baraka Aademy I
2022
Bunia Children Hope Center Baraka Academy II
It, too, was built by the local engineering company, but is currently unusable because of unsafe conditions in the area. The hope is that once the area is stabilized, the well will attract villagers to return and the Baraka II Campus can be reopened.
A second well was funded for the remote campus through donations from individuals, from Youth Group fund-raising activities, from a donation from New Wineskins and from matching funds from ARDF.
2023
A third well, also with matching funds from ARDF, has been installed at Chabusiku, a small village 7-8 km south of the Peace Center. Chinese mining activities have contaminated the nearby Shari River, the villagers’ only water source, 3km away. The new well will supply water for about 3,000 people, some walking for 2 & 1/2 hours each way, carrying 18 liter jugs on their heads.
Wesley Hood, a 2019 high school graduate and member of Holy Trinity Anglican Church Charleston, initiated this project for her Girl Scout Gold Award. Kudos to Wesley, and a huge thank you to Anglican Relief Development Fund for their matching donation and to many of you who generously donated to bring safe water to the village of Chabusiku.
Chabusiku
2023
Tutu
A church in Virginia felt called to build a well in Africa. Through connections with New Wineskins they learned of the need in Bunia for clean water. Bisoke thought immediately of three villges in need of water.
2024
Babunia
Village Chief Bayi in the tan shirt stands with other village leaders.
Thank you to Church of the Messiah, Chesapeake, VA.
Over $15,000 was raised in just two weeks.
North of the Peace Center, Babunia was formerly a rich area for grazing cattle. It is now deserted due to a history of fierce fighting over possession of land between the Bira and Hema tribes. The only water source is the nearby polluted Shari River.
Bisoke worked with the tribal leaders for peace and reconciliation. The leaders decided to return in peace and rebuild the area but they needed a clean water source.
The people of Tutu have water! A fourth well was constructed.
As soon as possible the local villagers began filling their water barrels even before the well tower was completed.
Thanks to another gift from Church of the Messiah, Chesapeake VA and help from Church of the Cross Bluffton, SC a fifth well has been fully funded and is nearing completion.