“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever
believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will
flow from within them.” John 7:37-38
Previous situation
When we first visited the orphan center in August 2013, the center did not have running water. Praise God in May 2014, we installed running water! The water allows Sekela and the children to use water for washing their hands, the dishes and in the toilet. However, the water was not safe to drink but needed to be boiled.
In Tanzania
Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa, with a population of over 45 million people. Due to the hot and dry climate, safe water is rare and growing sufficient food is often difficult for the most rural population.
Nearly fifty percent of people in Tanzania, 22.5 million, do not have access to safe water. It is common for women and children to spend over two hours per day collecting water and up to seven hours in remote areas.
Nearly forty two million people in Tanzania do not have access to sufficient sanitation. Access to toilets is extremely low, at only 12% of the population. This causes health issues primarily in densely populated areas.
Over ten thousand children under the age of five die every year, from preventable
diarrheal diseases as a result of unsafe water and poor sanitation in Tanzania. There are other impacts too on education, livelihoods and wellbeing.
Situation now
To God be the glory we were donated in November a water filter by the CEO & founder, Tobias Remes, of a Swedish charity called Tri For Charity. Tobias Remes and Josefine Ohlin, were here in Uyole organizing a water project for January 2015 in the Mbeya region.
Tri For Charity uses a tube and strainer filtration system made by SAWYER called Sawyer All-In-One-Filter. The filter is ideal for daily use in remote areas due to its simplistic design, instant results and minimal maintenance. When utilized correctly, the filters will clean buckets for entire villages for up to five years with only basic daily maintenance. The filtering of the water is instant and is perfect for developing nations that don’t have the
access to safe, drinkable water to which most of the western world is accustomed to.
Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you
belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. Mark 9:41
Sekela, the children, volunteers and visitors to the center are thoroughly enjoying the filtered watered. The children love drinking the water while at the center and to take bottles of water home with them. The filtered water is having a positive impact on their health and the children are less prone to be sick.
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…..
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters
of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:35, 40
Proposed situation
Ideally that for all our children we could give them a water filter to be used in their homes, so both them and their relatives would have access to safe drinking water at home.
Secondly that we could donate water filters to the schools’ that our children attend; this will have a greater impact on the local community and will be a good opportunity to build relationships with the schools.
Currently there are 33 homes and 12 schools represented by our children, resulting in a total of 45 filters that would be required. The Sawyer All-In-One filter can be purchased from a number of suppliers but the cheapest source is from Amazom.com at $55 USD each. The total cost of the filters would be $2475 USD.
Also needed would be the buckets required for the filters. The total cost of the buckets would be $280 USD. The grand total required to purchase the filters and buckets would be $2755 USD.
Please consider purchasing a filter or contributing to the cost of a filter. Every dollar counts and will contribute to positively impacting families and schools in Mbeya, Tanzania!
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” James 1:27
World Mission Outreach
Boeckmann & Associates, C.P.A. 360 Hoohana St., Ste. 201, Kahului, Hawaii 96732, phone 702-953-0610