Water filter distribution in Lanet

It's been a really long but amazing day, and it's 11:25 pm as I start to compose this, so it will be a short report. Please don't interpret that as meaning that it wasn't a significant day! We had the opportunity to be a part of the final phase of hygiene training and water filter distribution to the entire population of the governmental district of Lanet.  This area encompasses approximately 12000 family units. The work that SWOK has done here is of historical proportions.  With the distribution we did today of 900 water filters, it completes this entire area, affecting well over 60,000 total people.  These people for the first time in their lives will have clean water to drink. When we have done filter distributions prior years, we have had people tell us that because of having clean water, they won't have to bury any more of their children from waterborne disease! This project is literally changing folks lives in many ways. Three of the top killers in Kenya are waterborne diseases, including Cholera, dysentery and Thyphoid.  There are several other benefits that are less significant but also of great impact.  Some of these are decrease in medical costs, fewer lost workdays if they are fortunate enough to have a job, fewer days lost from school for children, less cost for purchasing bottled water, etc.  The savings impact for a family is significant, particularly when you consider how little money they have to begin with. 

Today, we divided up into three teams to do distributions in three different areas of Lanet. It started off as a day of pouring down rain.  People waited patiently under umbrellas or out standing getting wet, making it obvious the value they place on the filter kit they were to be given. They were excited to receive their filter and graciously communicated their thankfulness to those who have provided these filters. I know many of you reading this have made contributions of funds specifically for these filters. You are making a significant contribution to changing (and saving!) lives.  Thank you for allowing us to be a messenger for you to participate in this life-changing work.  I know that there are a lot of good organizations that are out drilling wells and participating in clean water efforts.  But no one before SWOK has done such a concentrated effort to affect 100% of the population on such a large scale. 

Since its late, I'll end there and put up a bunch of pictures from today. Unfortunately, I only was able to get pictures from two of the three groups. 

One final observation from one of the youth on the team hit me hard. We were all sort of drowned rats by the end of the distribution in the rain, but she observed that we at least would be able to get hot showers back at our conference center accommodations. But many of these folks have probably NEVER had the opportunity to have a hot shower! Once again, this was an opportunity to focus on how incredibly blessed I am and to vow to never take the blessings the Lord gives me for granted.