Letter from Lubumbashi
June 2007
What do you have to do to get water? Turn on the tap? For us it is the same also (most of the time!)
For the people of Kalebuka, it is a different story. The mains water does not reach that far out from the city centre. There are many wells around, but these are all privately owned. During the wet season people are able to use them, but have to pay per jerrycan.
During the early dry season many of them are closed as the owners are using the water for brick making. As the dry season progresses most of them dry up also. Water has to be collected from a pond (an old gravel pit) more than a mile away. This is very dirty and it has to be paid for too.
Against this backdrop, it is not very surprising that the church in Kalebuka has identified water as the biggest problem for their community.
After the success of the grass cutting project they are eager to move on to
other things – digging a well. We were surprised and somewhat hesitant
about them taking on something so much bigger so quickly. It may need to be
over 20 metres deep! Can they really do it?
Our team has been joining Kalebuka for their Sunday morning service and then
we have the meeting after wards. This is the best time for them – but
not so good for all of us as we never get to out own churches. We asked plenty
of questions to help them think carefully about what they are doing, to make
sure they really can do it. As the well will be free of charge for the whole
community we asked them about people making contributions, but it seems people
will not unless they see something already there.
When everyone is together we noticed the women would not talk, even if we asked them questions, so we started having separate meetings for them. Without the men they were very willing to talk. Unlike the men, they do not want a pump on the well, but to use a bucket and a rope – because they are easy to repair and replace.
They then told the story of a nearby
well:
An NGO dug a well (with community
involvement) and fitted a handpump to it.
Within a year the pump broke. It remains this way and because the pump is concreted
in the well cannot be used,
'We are waiting for the owners to come and repair it'.
'Who are the owners?'
'The NGO!'
Doubtless the NGO would say the well belongs to the community. We are not
offering any material help (other than lending them an old rope for lifting
out the dirt) for this very reason.
The church have decided they need a well. We are helping them to think through
the process and how they are going to go about it, but it is their project and
in the end down to them to do it. The process is slow and it will take longer
to complete than if for example we had said we would pay for labour to do the
digging. But when it is completed there will be absolutely no doubt about ownership.
Just as, if not more important, will be the raising of their self esteem and
confidence, that they are able to change things for the better themselves.
Praise God for:
We had a very refreshing break.
We now have three new volunteers on our team.
The good progress in Kalebuka.
Please pray for:
Kalebuka church, as they dig the well, for perseverance & success for them.
Bishop Kasima for wisdom in his leadership of the diocese.
For Peter and Atiyyah to find like minded friends.
For the training programme for our team to build up their skills and knowledge
to carry out their important job as 'change agents' in the community.
For our plans to start in the second pilot parish – Navyundu.
Love and blessings from
Eric, Sandra, Peter & Atiyyah
P.S. As we are about to send this,
we have just heard that our funding proposal has been turned down by the foundation
in the US. This has come as quite a blow to us as the indications beforehand
were encouraging.
Please pray for us for wisdom as to how to go forward now and also that we may
find another source of funding.
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