A gift of water: Tifton men to help build well in Kenyan village

By Angie Thompson, Senior Reporter

TIFTON — Two local men were so inspired by the work of a young African man they met and heard preach that they are returning to Kenya later this month in hopes of finishing a well-drilling project.

Joseph Kamau of Kenya came to the United States to attend Theological Seminary in Maryland in efforts to prepare himself to return to his homeland and translate the Bible into numerous tribal languages. He came to south Georgia to visit a cousin and became interested in the Georgia Agrirama. He was hired there and met Monty Spinks, who works at the Agrirama. He also met John Dixon of Alapaha.

Kamau said that another cousin, Bishop Armstrong Cheggah, oversees Fountain of Life Ministries, a church-building organization that also helps the many orphans in Kenya. Kamau said Cheggah completed his master’s in Bible studies and ministry here and returned to Kenya to start churches.

Kamau said there are 150 churches in Kenya and other parts of South Africa.

“We are able to do this through friends from America and partnerships with the ministry,” Kamau said. “We can’t make it without the help because we don’t have any resources.”

Kamau said there are 42 tribes in Kenya and half of them don’t have Bibles in their own languages. He said every tribe has its own language, but the national language is Swahili.

“A lot of them are still resisting speaking Swahili,” Kamau said. “We think if they know the truth, the truth will set them free.”

So far, five books of the Bible have been translated into the Swahili language.

The mission began nine years ago when Cheggeh and missionary Glen Martin from Lighthouse Christian Fellowship in Ohio visited a Turkana village in Northern Kenya where they witnessed children on the side of the road begging for water. Martin bought a well-drilling rig and sent a large container full of pipe, casing and well-drilling equipment to Kenya, but the supplies were held in customs for three years.

Spinks said that Dixon told him he had prayed about the well-digging. He said Dixon wrote a letter to area businesses and friends and was able to collect $30,000 toward the project. The money was also used to rebuild a church that had collapsed and pay for a sick pastor’s operation.

“The Lord helped us and we were able to accomplish a lot,” Spinks said. “If we can build a tank there (in Kimende), it will flow to villages that have never had clean water.”

Spinks, Dixon and Kamau, who has been working toward his practicum in New Orleans and with the mentally retarded, plan to return to Kenya July 23. The three last went to Kenya in August 2008.

Kamau said he never had clean water at his Kenya home. People there go on treks miles long to the creeks to get their water and they don’t boil it.

“I’ve done it all my life,” Kamau said.

His hopes are that wells will also be built in north Kenya where people have to walk 30 miles for water.

“The goal is to pump water to four villages,” Kamau said.

Kamau said that Americans have been good about giving to the mission projects and he is blessed to be able to learn here and take the knowledge home to better Kenya’s communities.

“When God is in something, nobody can stop it,” Kamau said.

Spinks said several fundraisers have been held and some are in the works. Anyone wishing to donate to the mission can reach Spinks at 228-821-0392 or Dixon at 229-686-0747.

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