You may have heard it said that “water is life.” Many of us seldom reflect on our desperate need for clean water. Water is often taken for granted in the US. Here in Rwanda, access to water can literally make the difference between life or death. A friend told me that she remembers once seeing a billboard which said, “Water. You can’t make this stuff.”
As you might imagine, it takes a lot of work to find adequate aquifers in “The Land of a Thousand Hills.” A bit of hydrogeology can go a long way in determining where to drill, and survey teams are busy throughout the country, looking for the ideal place to drill boreholes.
When an excellent aquifer is located, and the right equipment is put in place, you can be sure that “streams of water” will flow from it. In the very last chapter of the Bible, in Revelation 22:1, we see pure water being used as a picture of life: “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”
At Hope Haven Rwanda, we have a long history of providing clean water. Our students are able to access pristine water, our staff members have the option to take home jerry cans filled with water every day, and many others in our community benefit from our well and purification system. We have worked with a couple of key partners over the years and the partnerships continue to deepen!
Our first well was drilled by Living Water International. This Houston -based ministry not only provides water around the world, they also provide the Word of God. With 21,058 completed water projects, they are saving thousands of lives and giving them earthly and eternal hope! We have often hosted groups from LWI on our campus. In July of last year, we were honored to host their President, Dr. Michael Mantel, and their SVP for Programs, Jonathan Wiles, at Hope Haven for a wonderful visit, with encouragement all around.
We also have a great relationship with Healing Waters International, based in the Denver area. The customized purification system they provided for us is top-notch! Even though we have hosted hundreds of foreign guests over the years, and have provided water for many thousands, we have never had a single incident of a water-related illness associated with our campus.
With this solid track record, the Chapelwood Foundation of Houston, Texas, gave a Global Grant this year to help us drill a well for our new campus. Additionally, following her trip to Rwanda, Caroline Stewart, mobilized an entire denomination in Oklahoma to provide another generous grant to help with this new well.
This week, Moses and his team of technicians were actively looking for additional aquifers on our campus so that we can begin drilling the next borehole. Please pray with us that God will provide the rest of the funding that we need, and a strong continuing partnership with Living Water International as we undertake this project.
Liz and I also had the chance to spend some time with Hastings Banda, LWI’s Country Director for Rwanda. In Living Water International’s office in the Kimihurura neighborhood, we looked at maps of water projects around the country. After a joy-filled visit, we prayed together, asking that God would continue to use both of our ministries to change lives for his glory!
With more than 800 additional students on their way to Hope Haven’s campus in the coming years, we desperately need more water. It won’t be long before 1,620 students are using these wells for the sustainment of a healthy life and a superb education! Thanks to so many of you for your support of this immense project. We pray that we can continue to deliver life—both physically and spiritually!
When you drink a glass of clean water today, will you say a prayer for those who do not have this luxury which we often take for granted?