Faith for water in Swaziland

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Swaziland, Africa

--Brent & Michaele LaVigne, Mission Corps volunteers for NCN News-Africa

For many people across Africa, life revolves around the daily challenge of finding enough clean water for basic needs. This is the case in many places in Swaziland, especially the rural areas where large water sources have not been developed.

In July of 2008 a global outreach team from Bethany First Church of the Nazarene (BFC) in Oklahoma, traveled to Sitsatsaweni, Swaziland, a small village near the Nazarene College of Theology in Siteki, to continue work on the new nurse's housing at the Nazarene clinic. This is one of the 17 clinics throughout the country that is connected to Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital in Manzini. One team member looked up the hill at the primary school and saw a tall windmill that was not turning. He wandered up the hill to inspect it, and was told by teachers and community members that the windmill water pump was broken but the water source beneath it was still strong. The idea of water being just below the surface and yet not accessible to the needy community created a holy discontent in this team member; he began to research water systems in the country and looked for professionals that could assess and possibly remedy this issue in this community. He met a contractor who gave information and a quote for installing a solar-based water pump system. Team and church members raised the necessary funds to hire the contractor and a solar-based system that brings water at no cost to the school and the clinic was installed into the bore hole.

Church members continued to dream and pray about the water needs in Swaziland. In March 2009 they returned to Swaziland to assess the other 16 Nazarene clinics and surrounding communities. Although the cost to install a solar pump at the remaining clinics was high, it did not deter them. They felt led by God to continue on this path, a path that God was leading others down as well. The Coca-Cola Foundation was looking for a group that had a vision and plan to bring water to Swaziland. Jim and Colleen Copple, BFC members and grant writers for Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Inc. (NCMI), connected Coca-Cola, NCM Swaziland, NCMI, Swaziland's RFM Nazarene hospital, and BFC. The plan that had already been developed by BFC's assessment in March became the basis for the proposal to Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola awarded a grant to NCMI in July 2009. Twelve Nazarene clinics and communities will receive a solar water system with associated water harvesting and sanitation systems during the remainder of 2009 and early 2010. Each system is to serve the clinic, the school, and church on the mission station, and the community, providing water to gardens operated by HIV support groups initiated by Swaziland's Nazarene HIV/AIDS Task Force. The project is being implemented by NCM-Swaziland under the leadership of Beauty Makhubela, NCM-Swaziland director, Anna Mdluli, community mobilization coordinator, and Sabelo Dlamini, training officer. The first phase of the project began in mid-August, with the first seven sites scheduled for completion by the end of November.

Recently, Richard Zanner, regional director emeritus for Africa and chairman of the board for Helping Hands Africa (HHA), Cosmos Mutowa, NCM/HHA Africa regional coordinator, and Anton and Carolyn Hol, Mission Corps volunteers for NCM Africa, visited some of the sites closest to completion in Swaziland.

At the garden site near the small town of Luve, the HIV/AIDS support group in charge of the garden met them to express their thanks for the water that is so badly needed. They pointed beyond the garden to the surrounding mountains and community and said, "These people are all going to get water because of this pump." Swaziland District Superintendants Simeon Mahlalela, Timothy Dlamini, and Philemon Dlamini, prayed for the well and for the community.

Clean water for several communities in Swaziland has become a reality because of the strong faith exhibited by many; the faith of one team member who felt a holy urgency about water, the faith of a team who prayed around a broken windmill, and whose continued prayers multiplied the supply of water throughout the country. And it was the faith of those who were able to see God's hand in the small plans of one church as well as the large plans of an outside donor. Stepping out in faith is one way God uses us to bring glory to Himself and to His Church. Sometimes the glory of God comes in the tangible form of clean water in the name of Jesus - the living water.
--Brent & Michaele LaVigne, Mission Corps volunteers for NCN News-Africa

 

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