Archive for April, 2009
Friday, April 17th, 2009
$3, that’s is less than a tall Mocha or Latte at the local coffee shop and this money actually changes a life which impacts a family and in turn a village, instead of just providing temporary satisfaction and warm insides.
We now have an official partner, The Water Project, Inc.
The Water Project primarily focuses its efforts in Africa however they want to join with other small to medium size non profits involved in water and so they have made their funding available to us with certain restrictions. Basically, they will provide funding for water in India where we designate, provided we cover the administrative costs of the project. 100% of the funds they grant us must be used directly on the project, so the cost for the well driller, the pipes, pump mechanism, sand, mortar, etc. – they cover. The other 33% of costs that go towards pulling off a project and insuring its longevity they don’t cover; so we need to come up with that money.
What does this actually mean or better yet what kind of dollars are we talking about to unleash this funding? For every 10 projects that they fund, I need to raise $5,000, for every 20 projects they fund, I need $10,000. Do you see the potential here?
Typically a hand pump project in a village is $1,500 and for that the donor gets their name on a plaque, photos, possibly some video and the assurance that they made a huge impact in rural India. For that same $1500, instead of drilling 1 project, in partnership with The Water Project, we can do 3 projects, 3 for the price of 1 – not a bad investment.
What’s the catch? I don’t think there is one. Sure there is a little more work on my part to administrate this but the benefits outweigh the effort; something to consider when you give.
If you want to give in this way, partnership giving, then on the memo portion of your gift just write Share and I will use your giving to help unlock more water projects.
www.wellsforlife.org
Wells for Life ®
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Shawnee, KS 66286
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Friday, April 17th, 2009
Yet, this morass of bodies, horns and unintelligible conversations soon fades into awareness of a culture that has done far more than we Americans have done concerning the ability to find basic, uncomplicated appreciation for the central themes of our existence. Faced with poverty unlike any of us Westerners have experienced, India’s people are, quite simply, beautiful from their hearts.
One story that I would like to share, sorry it’s not about water, but it so struck my heart, is our visit with the “people on the hill”, as I call them – a small colony of vagabonds who were kicked out of their make-shift homes which happened to be on some property that some upper caste fellow deemed ideal to have when a famous politician came to town.
A generous woman from Westside Family Church heard of their plight and raised funds ($30,000) for creation of a new, permanent colony on the hill near Light of Love Children’s Home in Tuni.
Of the two pictures shown, one shows a family’s current home on the hill with merely a tarp covering and the other shows the construction in progress toward their new home, one of twenty-one that will actually be built. Each house includes a bedroom, a living area and a bathroom which is a rare blessing in these parts.
I am highlighting this particular family because the husband was bitten by a snake recently and with a $25 gift from the managing organization, NASA, received immediate medical care. He now needs more medical care and as you can see, has lost considerable weight from this injury. Despite his discomfort, he still joined our gathering as he struggles to survive.
Our small group had the wonderful opportunity of delivering 25 kg. bags of rice to the villagers, one bag for each family and I am told each bag lasts just under 2 weeks. (Note that a healthy diet of vegetables, salads and fruits is not on these peoples’ daily menu!)
If any of you wish to donate towards the continued construction and other needs of this place, Wells for Life gives 100% of the gift to take care of this colony. If you do give, mark the memo portion of the check, New Life Village.
This occasion was just one of many granted to us – my daughter and I – during our wonderful but brief trip to Southeastern India. Michael served as our “travel guide” and I do say he served as it’s not totally delightful to drag around a middle-aged woman and her gen-Y daughter through a foreign land. But he did an excellent job and we have many wonderful stories to tell of our experiences in the weeks and months to come.
Thank you Mike!
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Saturday, April 11th, 2009
The Latest News of Wells for Life ®
What next?
Spiritually speaking a lot, God is doing something I can’t quite describe in this short of space and I am not the best blogger so I can’t describe it there so you’ll just have to wait and see I guess when it takes place. I can identify the fact that 1 out of every 6 people in this world are Indian, that there are over 200 unreached people groups within India as it pertains to the spreading of the Gospel and this means that God is very concerned about India. God is concerned about India’s spiritual health and her physical health. In turn, I am concerned about her spiritual and physical health and this is the main reason why I am in India and desiring to make an impact for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Millions of Indians are classified as untouchable, millions of Indians have not heard the good news, and millions of Indians don’t have clean water. I, we, have got to do something about all of this.
www.wellsforlife.org
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