. . . (W)ater is a major problem in Simalundu. They do have a borehole, but there is very little water. I have literally seen people from that area dig a hole 8 feet deep in a dry river bed just to get a small bucket of water. Last year, ZMM team member Tony Cloud determined he was going to do something about the situation. He went back to the states and to try to raise $6000 to pay for the drilling of 1 well. The Lord blessed Tony’s efforts and he was able to raise more than double the amount. Shadrack Sibwaalu, the Director of Water Well Drilling at Namwianga, set about contacting the company that we generally contract with to drill wells. We had to wait until the rains were over and the land was dry before the wells could be drilled.
When Shadrack contacted the drilling company about drilling two wells with the over $13,000 that Tony had raised they said with the current $ to Kwacha exchange rate they could drill 3 wells. The first well was drilled at Simalundu over 2 weeks ago and they were very successful and found water. They did have to go deeper than scheduled but praise God there was water. They now have good, clean water with a hand pump. Shadrack stayed in the village during the drilling of the well and conducted Bible Studies every evening. Shadrack reported the people were so overcome with joy that they danced and sang for hours in thankfulness for the water. They did not know until a few days before the drilling company arrived that they were going to have water.
Shadrack also selected the village of Simusunge (which is in the general area of Simalundu) to get the second well and then the village of Mulamfu/Kasuku got the third well. All the wells have been drilled and they are in the process of installing the hand pumps. All three of the villages have strong churches.
Tony deserves a huge “thank you” for his dedication to get potable water for the people in the Simalundu area. It was told to me by a Zambian official with the Water Development Department that when you drill a well you lift the burden of the women and children as they are the ones who generally look for water and carry it, often several miles, on their head.
Praise God for servants like Tony and I think it should only be fitting that we have a blessing around the water well when we arrive at Simalundu.
When Shadrack contacted the drilling company about drilling two wells with the over $13,000 that Tony had raised they said with the current $ to Kwacha exchange rate they could drill 3 wells. The first well was drilled at Simalundu over 2 weeks ago and they were very successful and found water. They did have to go deeper than scheduled but praise God there was water. They now have good, clean water with a hand pump. Shadrack stayed in the village during the drilling of the well and conducted Bible Studies every evening. Shadrack reported the people were so overcome with joy that they danced and sang for hours in thankfulness for the water. They did not know until a few days before the drilling company arrived that they were going to have water.
Shadrack also selected the village of Simusunge (which is in the general area of Simalundu) to get the second well and then the village of Mulamfu/Kasuku got the third well. All the wells have been drilled and they are in the process of installing the hand pumps. All three of the villages have strong churches.
Tony deserves a huge “thank you” for his dedication to get potable water for the people in the Simalundu area. It was told to me by a Zambian official with the Water Development Department that when you drill a well you lift the burden of the women and children as they are the ones who generally look for water and carry it, often several miles, on their head.
Praise God for servants like Tony and I think it should only be fitting that we have a blessing around the water well when we arrive at Simalundu.
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