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The Kendrick Well for Pentecost


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THE KENDRICK WELL
Donija Village, Malawi
June 2019


Donor Report submitted by Dennis Singini, Director, WorldHope Corps Malawi with Michael Christensen, Director of WorldHope Corps, Inc.  June 18, 2019

The Donija Village Area in northern Malawi has never had safe water, and they had to drink water from streams where domestic and wild animals used to quench their thirst too.  Many children under the age of five died each year from water-borne diseases. 


On 25th May 2019, in response to their prayers, the people of DONIJA Village saw big trucks entering their village.  The children were excited to follow the trucks from behind without knowing where they were heading to and why. It was a good dawn for the people of DONIJA Village and the surrounding villages. Ironically Donija villagers were denied a borehole ten years ago when they presented the need and their water challenge to the Community Development Committee.  At that particular time there were less than 300 people around. But 10 years plus later there are over 1000 people around Donija village who needed safe and clean water.

Why is water a problem in Donija Area? This rural area has streams within walking distance, but they are seasonal streams and become dry soon after the rainy season is over (between the months of April and November every year).  This area receives inadequate rain fall, therefore the water table is very low resulting in difficulties to find water of any kind. It is a leeward area which makes crops such as corn, our staple food, not do too well each year. Villagers depend on farming around stream banks through irrigation so that they can find money for their daily living.  When they draw water from a stream, they are supposed to boil it before they drink.  If they are not able to boil it first they are exposed to diseases like Diarrhea and Dysentery.

The Village Chief told us that stomach pains were very common among children and elderly people because of drinking unclean water and some people lost their lives. Washing clothes was a major problem, even bathing was a challenge.  Women have had sleepless nights and that has been a burden. Some experienced gender-based violence, because of taking too long travelling distances in search for drinking water. Husbands assume their wives were going out with other men. Community Developmental activities have been retarded because of water scarcity, and water is life!

Mrs. Nkhoma, the wife of the village headman, was an old woman who had lived in the village since her tender age.  She and her husband hand-drilled a shallow well, which she managed with the help from other villagers, but it could not provide water even for 3 months before it was dry.  Reuben, a son of the chief, with his friends tried to drill a 12 meters shallow well but it could not sustain them even for 3 months.  What they truly needed was a deep-water well, down to the aquifer, near where they live.  She explained to us that they did not even dream of owning their own borehole.  But this is what they prayed for, and their prayers were answered.

The Community Celebrates new Kendrick Well on Pentecost The Kendrick Well (named after donors Doug and Ruth Kendrick) was drilled on 25th May 2019 by WorldHope Corps Malawi, sponsored by Medical Missions International (MMI). Before the end of May, the government civil works and registration were completed, and by 9th June, 2019, the new well was operational.  Sunday, 9th of June was Pentecost Sunday, and the villagers celebrated this gift of the Holy Spirit of God. 

Now all the people are full of happiness and gratitude to God and to WORLDHOPE CORPS and its partner Medical Missions International for making it possible for them to access safe and portable water.

The new borehole now supports the immediate village of Donija and five surrounding villages known as Ruvili area with an estimated total population of 800 to 1000.  The depth of the new deep well is 47 meters down to the deep water table.

During dedication ceremony and presentation of the borehole to the village chief and entire community, one woman sang a song in her local language. Here’s the blessing she was singing: God bless the sponsors of this wellGive them more and good healthDespite that they don’t know usRemember them anyhowThis is a symbol of LoveFor you God, is Love I read the Bible and preached from the Book of John, Chapter 6 about how Jesus fed 5,000 people with the Bread of Life.  It was such a special time that almost everybody felt free from fighting among themselves due to scarcity of water.  With sweet music and dancing, the new Borehole was dedicated on Pentecost Sunday. It was very exciting to hear everyone thanking God and WORLDHOPE CORPS MALAWI for the tremendous work and efforts to have this Borehole drilled. 












Submitted to Medical Missions International
by Dennis Singini, Director, 
WorldHope Corps Malawi; 
with Michael Christensen, Director of WorldHope Corps, Inc.


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