A Family Vacation to.... Zambia?

Instead of going to the mountains, the beach or a fancy theme park, in May of this year, Jessica and Scott Schwieger took their family to some of the poorest villages in the impoverished nation of Zambia. Jessica and Scott knew it would be a different kind of vacation and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for their children, Arlie, Abe and John to…

…share in the joy of villagers’ singing, dancing, laughing and cheering as they watch water bubble up from freshly drilled wells to give them clean water for the first time EVER! During their family “vacation”, the Schwieger family participated in the drilling of wells that now serve thousands of Zambians.

…meet some of the thousands of villagers who no longer have to worry about water-borne diseases because they now have clean water from 200 wells drilled in Zambia since 2011.

…get to know the people who make it all happen. They met Shadreck Sibwaalu, the staff at the Namwianga Mission, the drilling crew, the newly assembled maintenance crew and the village water committees.

…help plan a new system for well maintenance and repair to keep these wells pumping clean water for years to come. The Schwiegers helped set up a parts warehouse and support system to help local villagers keep their own wells running by providing hard-to-source parts and skilled labor to perform the most difficult repairs.

As we ‘Zoom in on Zambia’ all this month, please consider picking up where the Schweigers left off and help keep the funding for these clean water projects going! A button to donate can be found at the top of this page.

The Schwieger family’s vacation to Zambia. From L to R: Arlie Schwieger, Scott & Jessica Schwieger, local ministry partner Shadreck Sibwaalu, Gwangwazu Water Committee leader Jackson Sikumbani Simbumali, and Abe & John Schwieger. Gwangwazu is the location where LWP funded our first well in Zambia in 2013.

More of This!

Last year our ‘Zoom in on Zambia’ campaign helped fund this well in Kasangala B Village, which has been a blessing to both the village and numerous passersby.

Help us bless more people with life-giving clean water by contributing to this month’s Zoom in on Zambia campaign. Our goal is $31,000 between now and Augusr 31st. Link to donate above!

WHY ZAMBIA?

Why does The Living Water Project focus on Zambia each year?  Answer: Because clean water in rural portions of Zambia continues to save lives and our on-the-ground partner, Shadreck Sibwaalu, is the hands that brings that good news!  For the past ten years, Shadreck has overseen around 10 to 12 well installations per year for needy Zambians, which have had a life-changing impact on over 30,000 Zambian citizens.

Villages in Zambia need clean water, and it is a case of "water, water everywhere, yet not a drop to drink".  Zambia is one of the most water-rich countries in Africa receiving between 25 to 50 inches of rain each year depending on location.  However, water treatment and access to water outside of the largest cities is only available to half of the rural population.

It is estimated that around 30% of Zambians don't have access to safe water, which results in the death of 5,000 children from diarrhea each year.  The installation of a well with $4,000 to $5,000 immediately brings relief to THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE within a small radius - both clean water to drink and water to promote sanitary conditions!  As we've heard from Shadreck before, he has an "endless list for villages that need some water".

Our goal for this year’s ZOOM IN ON ZAMBIA campaign is $31,000. Please consider donating to help Shadreck and the people of Zambia.

More Board Member Travel in Burkina Faso

Board members Kevin Colvett and Jon Lee continue their travels in the country of Burkina Faso, assessing the viability of The Living Water Project beginning clean water work in that country.

Here are a few more photos and a video of the behind the scenes of their travels to various villages, where they are sharing about some of the work we do.

LWP Board Members Visit Burkina Faso

Board members Jon Lee and Kevin Colvett are currently in Burkina Faso, exploring the feasibility of a partnership with villages and local drilling companies, a first for us in this country! This potential expansion is very exciting to us, as it could mean bringing better health, a better quality of life, and for some, the chance of an education, to a part of the world we have not yet been able to serve.

These photos were taken in the village of Konnekongo, where Jon and Kevin were warmly welcomed and had the opportunity to answer questions about LWP. While there, they also visited wells recently completed by drilling companies who we may be able to collaborate with. We pray for God’s guidance as we explore this potential new partnership!