Who are Stanley and Alice?
In the 1920s, a young missionary couple, Stanley and Alice, settled in the South West of Burkina Faso. They went there to tell the people in that area about the love of God as shown in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Soon after their arrival in Burkina Faso, a baby daughter was born. They named her June.
June is now in her nineties and living in Bournemouth. When she heard about Myra’s Wells, she decided to pay for a well in memory of her parents. We thought it would be good if the well could be in a village near to where her parents had worked.
A very needy and suitable village!
While we were thinking about this, an application arrived from a village called Hampiera. This village is in the heart of the area where June was born. The application form told us that there was no proper source of water for about 3 km. Even at the places where there was a pump, the ladies might have to wait for 2 or 3 hours for their turn to use it. So, they were having to use muddy water from open wells and ponds like these.
Making sure of the facts
As with all requests that we receive, we like to check the facts. While we were waiting for answers to some questions, the mayor from the nearby town contacted Christine. He was very anxious that Hampiera should have a well. There was a desperate need, he said. We agreed to go ahead with one proviso. The mayor and the pastor who had requested the well had to agree about the best place for the well to be drilled. This was not a problem. The mayor said that he would agree with wherever the pastor thought was best.
Stanley and Alice’s Well is completed
About two weeks later, the surveyor arrived and agreed that the place chosen by the pastor was a good place to drill. In God’s goodness, the first borehole produced clean water. There is 2000 litres available every hour of the day and night.
A few days later, the team arrived to install the pump.
Stanley and Alice’s Well is now being used.
We always send a professional trainer to villages where we have drilled new wells. He explains to the people the proper way to use the well and how to keep it clean. He also gives hygiene advice. Here are pictures of some of the village people listening to what he is telling them.
Notice the instruction about keeping the cattle drinking trough clean!
There is also a short video clip which the trainer sent. Click here to watch the people at the well while one of the ladies is using the pump.
Soon, there will be a plaque on the well honouring June’s parents – “Stanley and Alice’s Well”. This well is number 224 on our list of wells. Click this link to see the full list.
About our other wells
As with all Myra’s Wells projects, this well is available for anyone to use, irrespective of ethnic or religious background.
Myra’s Wells continues to commit to using all public donations towards wells projects. Trustees pay all administrative and travel costs personally.
