Help Church To Help Others

For many young children in countries such as Haiti and Africa, it is their responsibility to retrieve water for their families each day. The goal for international efforts like the Haiti and Burkina Faso Water Projects is to provide clean, safe water for communities and create water resources that empower local churches to meet the needs around them.

On Friday (Aug. 17), residents of Windward Oahu can head to Windward Church of the Nazarene to participate in this year’s Burkina Faso Water Project fundraiser from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for junior and senior high school students, and $2 for elementary students. Kay’s famous oxtail soup and corn chowder as well as Kaoi’s super chili will be for sale, as well as beverages and baked goods.

According to Dennis Hida of the Windward Church of the Nazarene, they are still trying to find an exact area in Burkina Faso (in western Africa) to dig a well, and the well will benefit whomever lives in that outlying area.

“A lot of times people don’t live near a good water source, so they walk hours a day to get water and bring it back to their homes,” Hida went on to explain. “It keeps some kids from getting an education because it takes up a lot of their time.”

This is a dangerous feat, as the water they bring back often is contaminated. Children travelling to fetch water also run the risk of being attacked by a wild animal during their journey.

“The wells we’re looking at apparently will have to go really deep,” Hida explained. “They’re going to do a hand-dug well to keep costs down.”

Presale bento tickets are available for $5 and $7, and Spam musubi tickets cost $2 and can be picked up at the church office located at Bay View Golf Park. Food pickup will be at the Bay View Golf Park turnaround from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday.

For those who wish to mail a donation, send a check made out to Windward Church of the Nazarene c/o Burkina Faso Water Project to P.O. Box 1633, Kaneohe, HI 96744.

For more information, call the church at 235- 8787.