Dedicaton

After the well has been installed we conduct a dedication of the new protected water source.

It starts with a prayer from someone in the community. We've had 2 prayers that were in English! How humbling! Usually I pray for the water and village, that it brings health and energy. When I got to hear the prayer from them, it was about God giving us strength to continue our work, to bless us and those in America who helped them to get this safe, clean water.

A group greeting (in the language of the villagers - or close to it) and introductions of us and the MMM people with us. We explain that Christians from America heard that they needed clean, safe water and wanted to help. They donated or raised the money to pay for the pipes, pump and cement to complete the well that they built. (Similar to sweat equity at Habitat for Humanity, the villagers are responsible to organize themselves to dig the hole -by hand, get or make the bricks, gravel, sand). They do the hard work!

The well represents the love of Christ. On the top in both English and Chichewa (or Chitimbuka, Swahili, local language) is etched Glory to God, Ulemelelo kwa Mulungu (Uchindami kwa Chiuta, etc).

This well belongs to the village! And they must take care of it by keep in the area free from trash, keep animals away from the well. That way the well can last for years and years, for the children that are there now to grow up and have children of their own.

We then explain the maintenance plan. The village has a maintenance fee to pay each year. Here in Zambia it is 50 Kwacha which is a little more than $5. The fee pays for any parts should something break. There is a trained maintenance man in the area. If the well breaks, they call him and he will come to fix the problem. The maintenance men are our builders and installation supervisors who get paid per well they put in (September-October) but are volunteer maintenance men the rest of the year (no pay). The village is asked to thank them with a gift when they come to fix the well.

We ask them to tell others from their village and area who will be using the well what they have heard and seen so that the well is properly maintained. Then we ask if anyone would like to say anything.

We are thanked, God is given glory, we are asked to take greeting back to the donors, we are given gifts of chickens, maize, ground nuts, etc. They talk about the problems they had with water...long walks, disease, drinking with animals. One woman said if we had come before this well was installed a look at the water they were using would have brought tears to our eyes. Another that they were drinking mud. That their children were in danger from falling into unprotected holes, or throwing things into the water holes.

Then the demo on correct usage and a picture before jumping the truck and doing it again!