News
Water on "The Hill"!
June 2010
Oasis: A symbol of life
"The Transmara Children's Home is situated on a mountain far away from any source of water. When we began to house orphans, this was our biggest challenge. During the heat of the day, children from the orphanage were joined with other pupils to walk to deep valleys in order to drink water to cool their thirst. Consider over 300 children lining the river like cattle. Imagine these children queued behind both animals and women waiting to take their turn. Water is a symbol of life against the scorching heat of the sun; a symbol of hope from hopelessness."
Joseph ole Teleu, Program Director for TMD
In August of 2006 Oasis for Orphans launched a water project so that the seventy-four orphans at TMD (Trans Mara Development, our Kenyan partners) would have clean water for the first time. How hard could it be, right? After all, organizations all over Africa dig wells. It would be as simple as raising some funds, connecting with the right people and then drilling to reach the much-desired water. Besides, I (Scott) had been working in east Africa for six years and had a pretty good idea of the obstacles. Never did I imagine the hill we would have to climb to accomplish this feat. This was the single most challenging project I had ever undertaken; one that took three times longer and cost five times more than Oasis had budgeted or anticipated. We were in need of God's help to literally climb the hill on which TMD had been established.
Oasis began with a small, non-profit organization that used a very low-tech approach, namely a set of tools and local labor to dig. After many months of trying, we abandoned this effort. The soil was too rocky and the water table unreachable. Then Oasis decided to take an engineered approach to find and drill for water. After months of searching, we located a hydro geological survey firm in Nairobi that was able to come and determine the best spots to drill. The good news? There was a great source of water! The bad news? The water was 600 feet below the surface. So Oasis had to find a company that could drill a bore hole that deep.
We called every non-profit and for-profit company we could locate. All had waiting lists that put us nine to twelve months out. We continued to pray, knowing these kids desperately needed accessible, clean water soon. We prayed that God would provide a company to do the drilling. Then, the phone call came. One of the firms we had contacted months earlier was going to be driving right by our site on the way back to Nairobi. We thanked God, then thanked Him again when the bore hole hit the mother load of aquifers. This water-bearing rock held such an abundance of water, not only would the thirst of seventy-four orphans be quenched, but that of the entire surrounding community!
Once the bore hole was dug, Oasis had to tackle the engineering and construction of an elevated platform to hold the water tanks. Plus, we needed detailed engineering for a water pump, generator, piping and controls. We struggled to find qualified contractors and suppliers and had to increase our fund-raising efforts as costs for this God-given source of water were well beyond what we had originally anticipated.
"During Christmas Eve of year 2009, I asked the children their prime prayer request. They responded in unison that it was water. I was touched, but had no answer. Then I requested Dan Lelinga and Mercy Nairuko to lead a prayer session. Forty-eight hours later I received a phone call from excited Gilisho (Chris Herden) and Oloisiriri (Scott Hayward) that water drilling will be possible . . ." Joseph ole Teleu
God moved in amazing ways. It was the afternoon of Good Friday. The moment had finally come. The valve for the only clean-water deep well for over 100 miles was opened and the water began to flow. We were on cloud nine! Not only had Oasis been able to connect seventy-four children with sponsors from half-way across the world, but we had successfully drawn water from the equivalent length of a fifty-story building.The biggest blessing of all was that the water was clean -- so clean that even our American stomachs could handle it.
Oasis and TMD celebrated God's great provision and His loving kindness. We knew having water on the hill would change and save lives. We knew it would bring renewed hope and put these kids on a new trajectory. I really understood the impact of the well - at least I thought I did.
Then I read one of the most profound emails I have ever received from Joseph ole Teleu. The email contained quotes from the kids who had walked two miles every day to get water from a dirty river, who had hauled jugs of filthy water back up the hill to be boiled and filtered for cooking, from kids who were primarily hydrated by only two cups of chai tea because clean, cool water was scarce, from kids who had never had a single bath or shower, from kids whose family members have died of dysentery. Clean, accessible water meant far more to the kids on the hill than I could comprehend. I wept as I sat in my kitchen and read their outpouring of gratitude aloud to my wife:
Esther Naimutie
This is God's miracle for His people here on The Hill. I never imagined whether life would be possible without going to the river. Now I can't imagine how enjoyable life is without going to the river. Roselyn Makallah
This is a miracle! God's plans are not man's plans. No one ever thought this would happen. But God chose it to happen here, and now. God's timing is always the best. Pauline Naserian
Hurray!!! From the top something important has come! From the high top something essential to life has been provided! Thanks to Oasis. Our dream! The mighty dream has been fulfilled. Dan Lelinka
We had been watching the water tower with hope that water will come from there one time. No more dirty clothes! No more cooking water! The water tower has turned into the Tower of Hope! Thank you so much. Leah Naisoi
Oh! My goodness! I can't believe that we now have water. It's like I am dreaming. Thank you so much for your help.Edward Nayioma
Wow! This is a wonderful thing to me and my fellow children. We are so, so happy. We are more than happy that the people who used to insult and chase us from the river will now drink water from our borehole. Thank you so much.
Lydia Komoni
Ooooyeeeh!!! We are so happy! We can't express it enough for you to see. But believe it. We have clean water from the borehole. We are using the water now, we are not going to the river, and we will never, never go to the river. Bye-bye river!!! Emily Nashipai
Thank you Oasis and many other friends who helped us to get water. The water will help us bathe, wash clothes and rooms, cook and feed our cows and sheep. Thank you. Rachel Naing'uari
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On behalf of all the children, Joseph and the entire community, thank you for your contributions toward the well. From the pennies of a young child's piggy bank to school fundraisers to families giving up their Christmas gifts, I have seen so many give so sacrificially. Thank you for entrusting us with your resources and being part of something so profoundly life-transforming! Joseph said, "Water on the mountain has changed the rocky mountain to be an oasis." How fitting it is that we are living up to our name.
Sincerely,
Scott Hayward
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More News
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Water isn't the only big news at Oasis for Orphans. Our next newsletter will unfold the recent announcement of the Smith Family moving to the hill in Kenya for the next two years to live and work alongside this Maasai community. We look forward to telling you all about it. There are also some exciting local developments for Oasis that we will share with you as well. God is doing some amazing things.
