Water means life...

  Shalom dear loved ones!  Sue and I are on a three week journey to spend time with our families between mission trips, but we are still in daily contact with our brothers and sisters throughout the World!  God continues to do miraculous things, even on this family journey, but we thought that you would be particularly interested in a couple events that have occurred in the past few days in Kenya.   We have been praying for years for a well drilling project on the land that we lease to grow crops for our lunch program.  There were several challenges that hindered our ability to move ahead.  It is expensive, costing somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000 which we didn't want to divert from the immediate need of feeding the children. Second, we didn't want to dig a well on leased land that could be taken from us and used for someone else's personal profit and finally, the question of whether or not we could find any water in an arid land?  

Our dear brother Enos Mutokah was able to work out a deal to purchase a one acre strip in the middle of the land we lease, so now the drilling attempt could at least be on our own property, praise God!  The men there started digging by hand down 48 feet, climbing up and down by ropes and hauling the dirt up the same way- incredibly dangerous! Then in a miraculous, unexpected way, during our last trip, our amazing God provided enough money both to drill and to purchase irrigation equipment so that we would eventually be able to get water to our crops. The crops are half grown but are dying already because of the drought! 

Finally this week, a drilling crew came in and started drilling on our land in an attempt to find the aquifer.   Enos was warned not to start work on the water tower and tank until it was proved that water could be accessed from the property!  So many times these projects come up empty handed, but the first day produced a geyser!  While I was watching the video of the water gushing out, my heart was filled to overflowing!  This water is life-giving to people, to animals and to the crops, and we are also offering it free to everyone in the community!  Only God could possibly do so many wonderful things, one right after another throughout this entire journey!!  Thank you Jesus!! Praise Your Wonderful Name!!  

I also received a message from our Graceland preschool principal, Judy, in the last few days.  Doctors first assumption was that she had malaria and she became very ill, but in fact she fell victim to Covid as did her assistant Pamela and the other teacher, Beatrice, who is now quarantined.  Judy is feeling much better but they have asked for our prayers for the other two dear friends and all the kids that are affected by their absence!  

Thank you dear servants of Jesus for so faithfully loving those in greatest need!  Jesus has always made care for the poor very personal! ( Matt. 25:40) In His love,   jerry