One of the crucial challenges faced in some villages in the diocese of Malindi over the years is lack of hygienic drinking water. Access to drinking water is essential in any community. When one goes visiting the villages from 4:00 p.m when children are just back from school, one immediately notices how desperately people need water. Children who live far from wells quickly pick up a bicycle, grab some containers and go to fetch drinking water kilometres away from home. This considerable need becomes even more severe when it comes to having access to drinking water in schools. It is a demanding task for teachers and parents to provide drinking water for hundreds of school children every day. It is sympathetic when one sees how important stagnant water beside a school can be. Villagers wash their clothes in it, cows drink from it, children swim in the same pool, and that is the only source of drinking water too for the school and the entire village.
During his his pastoral visits, his Lordship Bishop Willybard (the bishop of the Malindi Diocese) quickly noticed this need and was moved to action. He has been struggling to ensure that wherever there are families, there is a source of clean water. He has been doing this by looking for well wishers to help in the construction of boreholes. What has spoken to me most is the dedication and energy with which his Lordship puts in to ensure that drinking water will not be a challenge to communities here in the future.
The most recent borehole was done in Mulunguni Village. This is the 3rd out of the 5 boreholes scheduled to be drilled by Malindi diocese and partners by 15th December 2024
It is incredible to see the kind of joy seen on the faces of the villagers when they receive the gift of a new borehole. Their happiness seems to say “Our prayers have been answered, we are free from contracting cholera whenever there are floods. Yes, water has been used in the scripture to show moments of a significant encounter with God. The pictures above reminds me vividly of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well; (John 4:4-26). "Give me this water that will quench my thirst forever" When I look at the joy on people’s faces and hear the speeches they make, it never ends with just having clean water to drink. There is always a way in which the people profess God’s hand at work among them. Their speeches are usually full of the statements such as, "tunamshukuru Mungu' meaning, we are grateful to God.
Matthew 10:42,
"And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to drink to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward"
Fr Kimbi Toaghang, mhm