Wells For Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a small country in West Africa that has been ravaged by over a decade of war and wide spread poverty. Sierra Leone has seen the atrocities of what man can do to man, but they have also experienced the joy of seeing what God can do for man in the Assemblies of God churches across the country. Vickie and I spent a week traveling the back roads of Sierra Leone with three Assembly of God church leaders as we visited the pastors in many villages and heard about the tremendous need for clean water. In recent years they have struggled to survive the residual affects of the war, but they continue rejoice in the souls that have come to Christ and the miracles of protection that they have experienced.

In November we went to villages like Rogboro where the village well was contaminated and unusable after the rebel forces came through the village. Pastor Tommy Bangura told us how the entire village could use the fresh water that a new well could provide. In the village of Mile 91 Pastor Albert shared with us how the people must go to the swamp during the rainy season and dip the filthy water for drinking. In the dry season they dig a hole in the swamp and wait for the dirty, unclean water to seep in. They desperately need fresh water as well. Pastor Albert lived in a tiny house about the size of one small bedroom where they have very little furniture. Five of us ate from only two plates of humble food that was graciously prepared for us. Masuba was another village where Pastor Tucker is planting a church and there is a great need for clean water. The church meets under a small shelter of small wooden poles with palm branches and grass woven for the roof.

Rogboro, Mile 91 and Masuba are the three priority projects waiting for wells in Sierra Leone.

We must drill in March at the end of the dry season, because April brings the rainy season and then we would have to wait until March of 2010. These wells will include drilling down to 180 feet and putting a strong hand pump on each one. We anticipate the costs to be around $7-8,000 per well.

There are so many stories of God’s protection and provision for these children of God. But for now, our heart’s desire is to bring fresh, clean, healthy water to the villages with the help of the local church, so the message they bring about the Water of Life will soak into the souls of the people.

"TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH".....TIMBUKTU, MALI

I was riding on the top of a Land Cruiser as we drove across the Sahara Desert looking up at the most beautiful night sky with more stars than I had ever seen. Beside me was a Toureg Bedouin man named Matta and we were about 20 kilometers outside of Timbuktu, Mali. I was praying “thank you Lord for this experience and may we be able to help these people.” I was also thinking “this is cool.”

Missionaries Faouzi Arzouni, Rick Caswell, Steve Evans and I traveled to this remote desert area to look at the needs for water wells in and around Timbuktu and also in a Dogon village called Dunon, also in central Mali. This area is over ninety percent Muslim and it is a very arid area. They desperately need fresh, clean water and the Living water of Jesus Christ.

The Africa Oasis Project working to provide three wells in Mali. One will be at the School of Light in Timbuktu. The Assemblies of God church in Timbuktu is building and operating a K-12 Christian school. Currently they have three buildings up and are hoping to build at least one more. They desperately need water. In the corner of each classroom I saw a clay pot that serves as a water container for each room. They are bringing in small amounts of water for each room. This Muslim town had put up many obstacles to the development of the school and it has been over seven years from the first block being laid to the opening of the school. The Lord has allowed Timbuktu to put in place a mayor who went to a Christian school and he has finally given permission for the School of Light to open.

We are will be working on a much needed deep well for the people in a Toureg encampment outside of Timbuktu. The desert dwelling people have had their only shallow well dry up and they desperately need fresh and clean water, as well as the Water of Life.

A young pastor is working to plant a church in the predominantly Muslim village of Dunon. This village has no well and they travel many kilometers with donkeys to get their water. They also need a deep well. Please pray with us that we will be able to help these people who are in great need.

We are scheduled to make several trips to other countries in West and Central Africa where water intervention projects are waiting for us. As we see these desperate needs our hearts are touched by the great needs and how we could help them. Won’t you prayerfully consider partnering with us as we are doing everything we can to provide water solutions for these people who are in such dire need? Contributions can be made online by following the links listed on this blog.

We love and appreciate each of you. BLESSING TO YOU ALL.

The Living Water is Flowing in West Africa

We are so excited that we have been able to provide safe, clean, fresh water for the Institut Biblique et Théologique de Sada, or the Bible School in Atakpame, Togo. The need for clean fresh water was overwhelming. The school was connected to the municipal water supply that was very inconsistent and not safe water. It was also very expensive and they paid each month whether they had water or not. With a new, deep well they will now have an unlimited supply of clean water for the students and their families and the faculty and staff. A local company brought their deep drilling rig which drilled 174 feet down and found good water. Then a 40 foot tower was built and a 1300 gallon tank was installed.

This entire project was paid for by our dear friends at BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge). What a blessing for children across the United States to give for these friends in great need in Atakpame, Togo. How can we say a sufficient “thank you” to all of the boys and girls who have given so sacrificially? We are also distributing 150 “Buddy Buckets” at the dedication of the well.

This is the first of many water projects that are ahead for the Africa Oasis Project. 2009 will be a very busy year with three wells to be drilled in Timbuktu, Mali, Dassa-Zoumé, Benin, in Sierra Leone, Ghana, Burkina Faso and many more.

Please consider helping us as we bring the life giving water and the Water of Life to this region.

A Glimpse of West Africa

The Cape Coast of southern Ghana is a fascinating place of beauty, interesting people and of unimaginable suffering. We traversed across shaking rope bridges that were over 40 meters (130+ feet) above the rainforest floor. The “Canopy Walk” was a means to experience the majesty of the rainforest from a birds eye view. It was like walking in the sky. The quivering bridge matched our quivering hearts as we clung to the rope bridge and tried to appreciate our environment as well as balance ourselves.

Abandze is home to a village of fisherman that ply their trade just as Peter and Andrew must have done in Biblical times. Many of them go to sea rowing their colorful boats against the pounding surf and then fish with nets that are pulled in by hand. As they leave the shore they all stand to pray to the “gods of the sea” for protection, since many of the fishermen do not know how to swim.

The Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle are stark reminders of the hundreds of thousands of people who were captured, bought and sold in the slave markets of West Africa and then loaded on ships bound for South America, Europe, the Caribbean, North America, Asia and the Arab world. These castle/forts illustrate the pain and suffering that was experienced by so many. It was a very sobering window into the past.

We had the joy of having our daughter Cristi with us here in Togo for about 3 weeks and we were able to share our world with her.

Blessings to all of you that are experiencing our blogsite.

A Beautiful African Celebration

A three hour long African wedding, a two hour African feast and a lot of sweat. That pretty much describes the beautiful celebration of our campus vice presidents’ daughter’s wedding. Throughout the week a bull and several sheep and goats contributed to the feasting as well. They were delicious. Three choirs sang, there was a moving message (in French) and many other traditional procedures. Many church and national dignitaries from several different countries were recognized. The father of the bride is also the pastor of the International Church on the WAAST (West Africa Advanced School of Theology) campus. The church has many international dignitaries that attend every week along with about 1300 other people. What a glorious celebration it was. And of course, the bride was beautiful.

A Fresh Water Well Is Coming!

In September/October we are planning to drill a deep well and erect a tower and tank system at the Atakpame Bible School in Togo. This is needed very much because of insufficient water and what water they do have is unsafe and very expensive. At this amazing school the students/pastors bring their wives and children. The wives are taught the basic skills of reading and writing and some basic entrepreneurial skills. The preschool children are also put in Christian daycare. What a great program and we are so glad we can help them. We will keep you updated as the project progresses. Watch this blog for more details.

Clean Water Filters For Villages

We saw the Fulani women washing their clothes in the muddy puddles left by the overnight rains. “Lord, they need clean, safe, fresh water”, I prayed.

Imagine my surprise when I was told that there was “some kind of form” in a storage container on the back part of the WAAST campus where we live. To some it was just a “thing” that nobody knew what to do with, but to me it was an answer to prayer. I could see many people in remote villages all over west and central Africa getting clean, safe, fresh water for everyday use. Water that will not make them sick. Water that will be safe and healthy. This “thing” is a gift from God. What am I talking about? A steel form to build Biosand Water Filters here in West Africa at WAAST and on location in other surrounding countries. This water filter will process up to 60 liters of water each hour and it is made and operates with all natural elements that can be found anywhere. What a blessing for so many people. Now we must become operational in fabricating and distributing these filters all through the region. YOU CAN HELP! The cost of each filter is about $US40 per unit. Would you consider bringing fresh water to villages across Africa?

Go to https://secure1.ag.org/contributions/detail.cfm?LedgerID=f10ced8c-6d00-4839-a79c-ad7088273146 Under Comments enter "AOP water filters".

Thank you so much for you continued prayers and support.

Mark and Vickie Alexander
Africa Oaisis Project
Missionaries for West & Central Africa