Updates
From Jo Anne Lyon
BREAKING
LOOSE
I have always been intrigued with
drilling rigs. In my early childhood my uncles were
known as "wildcatters" who traversed the
oil veins of Oklahoma and Texas always looking for
the next gusher. I was intrigued as I listened to
the "almost gusher" stories and promises
that the next drill would bring their fortune. My
grandfather became wise, left the others and got a
regular job with an oil company taking care of the
oil wells. I spent many a hot summer day climbing
on the rigs and tanks and assisting my grandfather
as he recorded the number of barrels pumped that day.
Two weeks ago I experienced a true
gusher of a different kind. Through the generosity
of our donors, World Hope International (WHI) was
able to purchase a water well drilling rig for use
in Zambia. Over the years I have watched as women
and children have walked miles to get water, some
even traveling at night at great risk to their safety
to be the first to get water the next morning. With
all this risk and work the water is often not fit
for drinking, thus perpetuating disease and death.
 But
on this memorable afternoon in the community of Sikwale
the new drilling rig was humming loudly. Hope was
coming to this community of nearly a thousand and
the excitement was obvious among the people. Children
ran down to the dig site and watched spellbound while
the adults were in the church discussing new opportunities
for livelihood projects - opportunities provided by
Spencerport Wesleyan Church in Spencerport, NY, to
help the Sikwale community raise pigs and chickens
and receive agricultural training.
I was intrigued with the businesslike
process led effectively by James Monze, World Hope
Zambia Agriculturist. I could not resist the excitement
of the drilling so I walked right down to the drilling
site with the children. More adults came down and
soon a majority of the community was there. We saw
the soil coming up from the drill turn from dry to
damp to light mud to darker mud and THEN the WATER
CAME and shot up several feet.
 The
crowd stood in awe. The pastor touched the water and
said with great assurance, "This is Resurrection
Day - we have been resurrected to hope when we had
none."
Then the choir broke into song with
accompanying movement, "We are delighting
in the Lord and following our Lord. Our lives are
going in the future with God."
I left
that day realizing all this is happening because the
global family of God is as serious about the kingdom
of God on earth as it is in heaven. Phillip Yancey
says it so well in his book Prayer:
In prayer we stand before God to plead our
condition as well as the conditions around us. In
the process, the act of prayer emboldens me to join
the work of transforming the world into a place
where the Father's will is indeed done as it is
in heaven. We pray in order to see the world with
God's eyes, and then to join the stream of power
as it breaks loose.
Thank you for being a part of the stream of power
as we continue to see it break loose. I invite you
to join us in water
projects in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Malawi,
Mozambique, Indonesia and Cambodia or in any of the
WHI programs noted in our website.
May this day be one where you realize
hope and future as never before,
.
Jo Anne Lyon
Founder & CEO
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