This past August, our Executive Director, Tracie Heidt spent over a week in the Singida region of Tanzania. This area is especially suceptible to famine, disease and starvation due to inadequate drinking water. They have two lakes there, but the water is too salty for healthy human consumption. Regardless, they still water their livestock at the lakes so that all available fresh water can go to crops or people. During a very rainy year, nature waters the crops and there is enough for the people to drink.

During a dry year, the crops fail and the shallow wells that they have dry up so that there is not enough water for the people. To make matters worse, the metal pumps on the wells (which look like the pumps that they used on Little House on the Prairie) often break down (they are very old) or are stolen to sell for the metal. Once a pump is removed for either reason, the water must be drawn out using little cups through the pump hole (roughly 6 in square) until a large bucket is filled and the bucket is then carried home for daily use. Worse yet wells often go uncovered, which leaves the well very susceptible to contaminates from animals and water borne diseases/germs such as cholera, e coli, girardia, and many others. As a result many children die from dysentary or other preventable diseases every year. The shallower and muddier that the wells become in a dry season, the more likely it is that disease will spread.

The good news is that there is water underground that the people could use if they had a deep water well. It is our hope to build the necessary relationships and raise the money to go back to Tanzania next summer and begin the well project. Stellaris will be taking applications from students and "adult explorers" for participation in this trip. A safari extension will be planned as well, which is not only a great experience to witness God's amazing creation, but it supports the local industry which grows jobs and infrastructure and promotes conservation of natural resources for this developing country.

If next year is a dry year, the people will be in huge need of food relief and we will be working with the very isolated local Christian church to deliver emergency rations to all the people regardless of faith. If it is a rainy and healthy year for the crops, we will be working with the local church to build a worship and community center and begin the work on the well for the village.

Please prayerfully consider supporting this important mission by clicking on our "How Can I Help?" button on the left menubar!

Copyright All photographs © A R Murton 2003

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