Author: Xu Jun, August 30, 2023

Dry and waterless land

 

 

In Africa, water is undoubtedly scarce and precious! The latest report from the World Meteorological Organization in 2022 shows that approximately 250 million people in Africa will be severely affected by water scarcity, with estimates of up to 700 million people displaced by 2030. By 2030, three-quarters of African countries are unlikely to have sustainable water resources. Senegal, located near the Sahara Desert, has many semi-desert regions in the central and eastern areas, where the highest temperatures during the dry season can reach 45°C. In rural areas far from cities, water supply facilities are often old and inadequate, leaving the basic water needs of villagers unmet year-round.

Therefore, drilling into underground water resources has been a long-standing dream and a continued goal for Africa. However, drilling a well in Africa is truly challenging. The cost of just a set of professional drilling equipment, including a drilling rig, air compressor, and large truck, can reach over $200,000. Such high costs have prevented us from putting our dream into practice, but our determination has never wavered.

 

 

Living Water River

After years of prayer and waiting, our dream has finally come true this year, thanks to God’s grace and the support of kind-hearted people from around the world. On April 26, 2023, a professional drilling rig and air compressor arrived at our base, and on August 5, our large truck safely made it to the site. We hope that the “living water source” that flows from God will nourish and irrigate this dry land.

 

On April 26, 2023, Pastor Anna joyfully welcomed the drilling rig and air compressor.

 

 

On August 5, 2023, a brand new large truck arrived at the Africa Cries Out Base. Pastor Anna and Pastor Paul took a photo together with the truck, their hearts filled with indescribable joy and gratitude.

 

The Dream of Well-Drilling

Looking back at the journey we have walked, praying and waiting for the dream of well-drilling, it has been filled with God’s grace and blessings. Despite the immense challenges, we firmly believe that with Him, nothing is impossible!

In May 2001, Pastor Anna went to the leprosy village of Fadiougue, Senegal, where she lived for ten years. During her time there, she witnessed firsthand the water scarcity in the leprosy village. She fundraised from Brazil and provided the village with a well.

 

 

 

 

In November 2003, on the day when the water well in the leprosy village started flowing, the villagers held buckets and basins, celebrating the realization of a long-cherished dream passed down through generations.

In 2013, we arrived in Guinea-Bissau and took a photo in a village where children were playing in a garbage heap while a mother went to fetch water. Many West African villages cannot afford the high cost of drilling a deep-water well, so they make do with what they have. They don’t wash their hands before and after meals, and they may not bathe for a week, leading to the spread of gastrointestinal infections, skin diseases, and countless deaths from diarrhea and dehydration. Their infant mortality rate is only 50%, and the average life expectancy is only 50 years. If someone lives to be 30, they have reached the end of their life with little hope. Therefore, a well is as crucial to a village as a source of life itself!

On March 9, 2018, we successfully drilled a well at the Africa Cries Out Base. At that time, we couldn’t afford to purchase drilling machinery, so we had to hire a company to do the drilling. The drilling company initially quoted $12,000, and there was no guarantee that they would find water on the first attempt. If they needed to drill again, we would have to pay the same high cost. After negotiating, we finally agreed to start with $9,000 for a trial drilling at two locations. If they couldn’t find water, we would have given them $9,000 for nothing. With faith, we signed the contract, and to our gratitude, they found water on the first attempt, and the water quality met all requirements.

This well, like a living spring given by God, completely resolved our water problem for the 171 members of the 2023 volunteer medical team and the patients at the Africa Cries OutBase. According to expert estimates, this well can meet the water needs of over a thousand local people. Thanks to God’s grace, this experience has made our prayers for the dream of drilling more urgent and filled with confidence!

 

 

Entering the nearby village’s gold mine, they are over-exploiting underground water.)

To drill a deep well in Senegal, it costs around $10,000, and it needs to reach a depth of 30-50 meters to find water. This is mainly due to over-extraction, pollution, and lack of regulation of underground water sources. In recent years, especially with the discovery of gold mines in Senegal, gold mining requires a significant amount of water for washing, and wealthy capitalists, local chiefs, and a greedy government have drained the villagers’ only wells for profitable gains. This has made it even more challenging for the villagers to access water and afford the drilling costs, leaving them in a dire situation.

Grace Overflowing

We have witnessed and experienced these tragic situations firsthand, and the water shortage continues to worsen. We pray to God, and we appeal to Christians and compassionate individuals worldwide to help these suffering people. We also know that if we don’t change their living conditions and provide them with wells to address their water needs, much of what we do in Africa would be in vain. While our medical teams can provide temporary treatment for their illnesses, it cannot fundamentally improve their quality of life. The adverse living conditions caused by water scarcity, unhealthy habits, and the source of diseases persist. We want to drill wells for them and pray for God to make a way!

 

Thank you to all our brothers and sisters and compassionate individuals. In a short amount of time, we have received donations totaling over $200,000. There were generous contributions from entrepreneurs, and some brothers and sisters donated the money they needed for their own lives. Regardless of where the donations came from, they all came from hearts filled with love and passion. To improve the lives of the people in Africa, to change their lives, and to sow the seeds of blessings on African soil, many brothers and sisters and compassionate individuals have offered both their love and money.

Our team in China immediately began purchasing professional equipment and transportation tools. Our brothers responsible for import and export overcame many challenges, provided customs clearance procedures for free, coordinated with shipping companies, and successfully delivered the drilling machinery to Senegal. We are deeply grateful and recognize that God has been at work throughout this entire process, performing wonderful deeds through the environment and people involved!

 

Well, gush forth with water!

Let those who sing and dance proclaim,

 “My source of water is in you,

I will sing to the well,

I call to the depths, ‘Rise up swiftly!'”

 

The Africa Cries Out Team expresses gratitude to every compassionate friend and donor. Without your contributions and support, we could not have taken each step. Without your encouragement, we could not have continued our journey. Thank you for joining us in spreading love, light, and warmth to the world. It’s because of you that the world can become a better place!

 

We are currently seeking professional talent to help edit our website, work on content in both Chinese and English, create short videos, manage our public WeChat account, and more. If you have skills in these areas and are willing to contribute to the Africa Cries OutTeam, please contact us.

If you are willing to support our Africa ministry, please write the check to Africa Cries Out, and mail to  Jun Xu, MD,1171 E Putnam Avenue, Riverside, CT06878, USA, you will receive a tax deductible receipt from IRS.

Zelle: Africacriesout@gmail.com. Credit card to https://africacriesout.net/，however, there will be transaction fees associated with credit card donations. You will receive a tax deductible receipt from IRS

Our team solemnly declares that 100% of your donations will be used for the African people, and we will not have any administrative expenses.

Jun Xu wechat ：jun9174343767, email : Africacriesout@gmail.com, Public Wechat ID：LifeExploring

webpage：https://africacriesout.net

Editors: Hao Wu

Editing team: Wu Hao, Liu Hui, Guo Yuanchun, Duan Xiaohong, Cao Juanjuan, Grace Huang, Yang Zhifeng, Rachel Zhang, Daniel Xu