If you don’t have clean drinking water, your life is over. Until you have a source of that life-sustaining fluid, nothing else matters. That’s why Marvin Kehler and a scattered team of aid workers, geologists, machinists and business people, partnering with Campus Crusade for Christ and many churches, are working hard to come up with innovative solutions to clean water crises in India, China, and some countries in Africa.
As President of Global Aid Network, Kehler is acting as a pointman, enlisting the help of anyone who has a way to contribute to the bid to drill wells in many highly populated and impoverished third world countries.
“Sometimes I’ll be at the Tim Hortons near my home and a local tradesman will ask me what I’m doing these days. Once I tell him what we’re working towards, often I’ll hear that he’s got a way to help,” says Kehler. That help comes in many forms often related to the person’s area of expertise and sphere of influence. In one instance a machinist knew where he could buy steel for an excellent price. That steel could be used to construct drills and pumps for the wells.
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Right now, 16 wells per month are being drilled in India. North American geologists and engineers fly over to the country, locate water sources, then subcontract local well drillers whenever possible. Once the wells are drilled, people in the community are trained to maintain the pumps and, eventually, will be taught how to drill more wells on their own.
The goal is to establish 150,000 wells in various countries around the world. Although these new wells represent a substantial increase in the number of people who will be drinking clean water soon, Kehler and company say that’s only a drop in a mostly dry bucket. The need for new wells is in the millions.
In order for a project like this to flourish, people with different backgrounds and talents need to be involved, says Kehler. “Besides geologists, manufacturers, machinists and those who can train people, we also need good communicators,” he says. “We need people who can deal with governments in many of these countries. And we need business people.”
The group is also looking for people to donate money for specific wells. $1,000 (US) will buy a well in India, while it takes double that for most African wells. Families, Sunday School classes, community service clubs or any other group can contribute. The Kehlers, for instance, plan to forgo Christmas presents this year, opting to put that money toward giving people clean drinking water in India.
The group is also calling on North American youth to get involved. Operation Jacob’s Well is a recently launched initiative that aims to see young people signing up to carry a one-litre jug of dirty water (strapped to each person’s wrist or belt) wherever they go during a 48-hour period. The initiative will no doubt attract attention to the cause as youth answer the questions of curious onlookers. And pledge money donated by sponsors the youth enlist – at least $5 per day from each sponsor – will go far in providing for the most immediate physical need any child or adult can experience.
Tags: finances, Global Aid Network, Jeff Dewsbury, Men, purpose, social justice, Women, World
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