News of wells – including Well Number 300
Welcome to this newsletter. There is blessing to report following recent drilling. If you prefer to have a printed copy, please click on this link to download an A4 version (use LANDSCAPE orientation when printing!).
There are 3 things to highlight first. You can use these links – or just scroll down to read the whole newsletter …
- Well number 300 has been completed and is being used
- The Diary of the Visit to Burkina Faso 2024 has been produced – please ask for a copy
- The singer Philippa Hanna is coming to Bournemouth to help us celebrate the 300 wells
Other headlines
Well Number 300 is being used – request a Diary for more information (click this link)
But not where we expected!
You may recall that we had planned that well number 300 should be at a place called Niongwarbin. The pastor and his wife there, both nurses, are hoping to open a small clinic next to the church. However, this did not work out as we had hoped. Thank you for your prayers. We may still try again here, but the first two boreholes were negative and we are still considering whether we should try a third borehole. Prayer about this decision is welcomed!
So well number 300 came about at Tansobntenga. It has been finished with a water tower. Here is the pastor and his son using the tap. The well has been provided in honour of God’s gift of two children.
This is the Eddie’s entry in the Diary of the visit to Burkina Faso in January (see more about the diary, including ordering, below using this link).
“When we arrived at the village, there was a welcoming party of about 15 women who had been invited to tell us what life is like for them. There was a broken well which had to be checked out first. After going to see the situation, we agreed to drill here. Following the visit, we can report that this well was drilled on 9th February. It is well number 300! It’s good when a positive “go-ahead” decision is this easy.”
Christine was able to arrange a well blessing at Tansobntenga. After the usual celebrations, Norbert the evangelist was able to give a Gospel message. A good number of people professed to have trusted Christ as their Saviour after the message. Please pray they will continue.
Here is a photo from the celebrations.
Christine is being presented with a glass of water as a token of appreciation from the village.
The children and ladies dancing. This is taken from a video so please excuse the picture quality!
Diary of the visit to Burkina Faso January 2024
Eddie and Mark have produced the usual Diary of the visit to Burkina Faso in January this year. It is 56 A5 pages giving accounts and photos of the visits to places where wells have been drilled or where wells have been requested. Our prayer is that it will help to give a better picture of life in Burkina Faso and lead to more informed prayer for our wonderful helpers. Christine and Michel, along with others, give huge amounts of their spare time to help Myra’s Wells (and other Christian organisations as well).
Below is a sample page – from the day that we went to see a new well being drilled. Copies of the Diary are now available.
Could use a copy? Or distribute some to friends? Or perhaps at your church?
There is no charge as the Trustees have paid for their production. However, with the price of postage having gone up (yet) again, we would appreciate a small donation to cover this cost. (Any amount over the actual cost will be put towards future wells.) Please email (eddie@myraswells.org) or write (Myra’s Wells, 72 Oakhurst Road, West Moors, Ferndown BH22 0DR) stating how many copies you can use.
What has happened since the last newsletter
In the last newsletter, we mentioned some places where we were planning to drill. Thank you for your prayers – here is what has happened at some of these places.
Guidgssouassa – an excellent well
Not the easiest place name to pronounce. Try “Gwidge-sue-ass-a”. This is a place where there were long waiting times for a turn to use the well. We are very happy to report that the drilling was successful on 5th February. This was an excellent borehole making up to 12,000 litres of water available every hour. The finishing is with a water tower.
Christine recently visited the well and has sent these pictures. The queue is much shorter than it was at the existing well. This now well number 301 and will be a real benefit to the people in this suburb of Ouagadougou.
Dapoya – a very needed well
This is a village near to Koudougou. Eddie and Mark visited Dapoya – you can read the story about this in the Diary (they thought they would never get there!). This first picture is a reminder of one of the open wells the people were using. The new well has brought clean water to this village for the first time.
Christine also visited this well and took the opportunity to remind them that they need to keep it clean. This is one of the responsibilities of the Well Committee that is set up at each of our new wells.
The borehole is quite deep here – 85 meters but the supply is good at 6000 litres/hour – far more than they will ever need! These two elderly men whom Eddie and Mark met in January will be very happy.
Nabmaneguema – a disappointment
Again, there is more about this place in the Diary. There was great need here for a new well to serve a newer part of the town.
Sadly, we have been unable to progress with drilling. The ground that would have been suitable as a place for a new well is owned by an individual. Although he would be willing to have a well put on his land, there are potential problems that might arise in the future if he were to sell the land. It is for this reason that many of our wells are on land given to the church – there will not be disputes about ownership and who can use the well. It is always agreed that wells are for all the people, irrespective of ethnic or religious background.
Gouloure – the chief’s pleasure
We were pleased to be able to provide a well at this village near to Kokologo. They used to use a large open well as the waiting time at the nearest pump (about 30 minutes walking time) could be hours. What made this special is that the village chief was so happy that there is now a new well, that he gave 2,000 CFA to the well committee for their maintenance fund. (The committee treasurer is holding the 2,000 CFA note in his hand.) It is the responsibility of the Treasurer of the committee to receive small donations from people who will use the well regularly so that small repairs and the regular minimal maintenance can be carried out. 2,000 CFA is not much – under £3. But, although we don’t specify how much the committee should be given, 2,000 CFA is probably 10 times what the average user can contribute.
Once again, Christine has provided these photos now that the well has been completed.
Nanwerga – a happy pastor
This well was completed in the west of Burkina Faso about a year ago. Christine recently received a message from the pastor there who had made the request for a well to be drilled. This is what Christine said:
“This is from the Pastor. He is saying that all the village is happy with the well. The first miracle from the well is the unity of all the village – Muslims and Christians are now together.
The nearest well is at a school and is 3km away. The second is 7 km at hospital and the well for the people is about 12 km away.
They want to tell or show their happiness. He has been there since 2014 as a Pastor but the village people said that they have been wanting a well 30 years now. The village is like one forgotten by the government.
So we will try to organize evangelism to tell them the gospel.”
Kriguilaungo – a new church
This is a well that was drilled a nearly 2½ years ago. The request form told us that there was a well not too far away but that the Christians were not allowed to use it. Having checked the facts, we felt that we should provide a well there.
Recently, Christine heard from the pastor who had made the request. This is what she told us:
“He said thank you for the well. There are some coming from 4 km away to get water there. And because of the well he got another place to open a new church.”
Concert by Philippa Hanna for Myra’s Wells
Celebrating 300 wells
Philippa Hanna is a well known singer in evangelical circles. She has been booked for a concert in aid of Myra’s Wells on 13th June 2024 at St. Mary’s Church, Longfleet, Poole BH15 2JD.
Tickets can be booked through Eventbrite.com using this link – tinyurl.com/MWGig24 which will direct you to the Eventbrite booking page. Or you can use this QR code.
Security
The security situation in Burkina Faso is much the same as reported in the last newsletter. However, reports in the press about 3 weeks ago underlined that there are still problems. On that occasion, there were attacks on Catholic churches in the East and North East which resulted in over 100 people being killed. The security forces claimed that a similar number of the attackers had also been killed.
This loss of life and brutality is upsetting. Please continue to pray that this violence will be brought to an end and that those who truly belong to the Lord will be preserved.
On the political front, Russia continues to gain influence.
Donations etc.
Thank you
Thank you to all who continue to support the work of Myra’s Wells, whether on a regular basis or with one-off gifts. We regard all funds “as from the Lord” and ask for prayer as we make decisions about where and how we spend the money.
Overseas donations
For donations from overseas, we have an account which can accept USD and EUR donations. Please ask for details if you are considering donating in these currencies.
Legacies
For anyone considering legacies, we would also be pleased to give help if that is needed.
Prayer and Praise
- Praise for the wells that have been drilled recently and all who have become Christians as a result of wells being drilled.
- Pray as we decide on the places where we will drill as funds become available.
- Pray that the provision of clean water will be a witness to God’s greater blessing of salvation through faith and by grace.
- Pray about the decision that has to be made about the 3rd borehole at Niogwarbin
- Pray for safety for the drilling teams in areas where security is not guaranteed, and pray that the security situation will very soon improve.
- Pray for the safety of Christine and her helpers based in Ouagadougou.
- Pray for wisdom in making decisions about which places are the most in need of water.