A Walk In Her Shoes

 

 

• Every day, sometimes twice a day, young girls walk miles from their rural villages in Ghana West Africa to fetch water for their families to drink, wash and cook because there is no other source of water closer

 

• Water filled containers can weigh as much as 65 pounds...almost as much as the young girl. She will learn to carry the container on her head in temperatures that can easily exceed 100 F

 

• Young girls are given this task, instead of going to school, because the older adults are raising crops, searching for food or busy doing the numerous other tasks necessary to raise their families in an arid climate

 

• The water these girls return with is mostly surface water, contaminated with debris, bacteria, animal droppings and parasites...but it is all that is currently available

 

• If clean water was available closer, families could be healthier, and young girls wouldn’t have to spend their days fetching and would have the time to attend school

 

• Ghana West Africa Missions is a non-profit charitable organization out of Searcy, AR. They drill water wells in Ghana West Africa, with hand pumps, and teach village communities the importance of clean water for the health of their families: www.gwam.org

 

• Each clean water well costs $7,000 on average to drill and equip with a hand pump

 

How can we better appreciate the burden of having to fetch water each day?

 

Individuals, groups, and churches want to raise awareness in their communities for the hardships these young girls in Ghana West Africa face every day to fetch water for their families.

 

 

At the same time, they want to raise money for at least one new water well to provide clean water for the villages of northern Ghana. This, hopefully, will allow the young girls of those villages the chance to attend school, a blessing we take for granted here in America.

 

Most groups are seeking your help to fund their goal of at least $7,000 for one new well by forming one or more teams of 2-5 people willing to carry a water filled 5-gallon bucket at least one mile. Each team is asked to find supporters willing to pledge money if their team completes the course with the water filled bucket. The web site for Ghana West Africa missions www.gwam.org has plenty of publicity to help motivate supporters or you can use these talking points.

 

As an example: On Saturday, September 9, 2017, from 9 AM until noon, rain or shine, the Flat River church of Christ will have a one-mile course laid out in Haney Park, just behind the church of Christ at 220 Crane Street. Teams can register in advance (see information below) or on the day of the event at the church parking lot. Each registered team that completes the course is invited for refreshments at the church building. They will follow up with each registered team to collect pledges/donations later that month. If you want to help this church, please, Contact Tom Nations (573) 547-5016 or tnations@juno.com for questions or to advance register teams.

 

You can also register at: https://donate.gwam.org/find-a-fundraiser/ click on Park Hills, MO

 

 

 

Following is a sample of what you can reproduce for your own walk (each walk will work for a different village):

 

 

A Walk in Her Shoes Challenge

 

Who?

We need teams from area churches, civic organizations, clubs, and caring people. Each team of 2-5 people must be willing to walk one mile carrying a 5-gallon pail of water (You can take turns carrying it). Each team finds their own sponsors willing to pledge money for their team to complete the challenge

 

 

What for?

We want to fund a new clean water well in the village of Nyamkpani, Ghana West Africa that costs on average $7,000, and to better appreciate the burden of carrying water great distances daily. All donations collected will go to Ghana West Africa Missions, a 501(c)3 charitable organization and 100% will be used to provide clean water for a village. Go to www.gwam.org for more pictures

 

 

When?

9 AM until noon, rain or shine, Saturday, September 9, 2017. Teams can register with Tom Nations at (573) 547-5016 or tnations@juno.com or teams can sign up the day of the event at the parking lot of the church of Christ, 220 Crane Street, Park Hills, MO or https://donate.gwam.org/find-a-fundraiser/

 

Where? The starting point is the parking lot beside the church building. Walking course is marked in Haney Park, behind the church of Christ, 220 Crane Street, Park Hills, MO.

 

 

How?

All teams must sign a waiver and receive a filled 5-gallon bucket of water in the church parking lot. Teams then proceed through the designated course in Haney Park and complete at least the one-mile challenge to carry their bucket of water at their own pace. Teams are invited to enjoy refreshments at the church building after completing the challenge. Pledges and donations should be collected by month end from the participating teams.

 

 

Participating teams can also send their pledged funds/donations directly to Ghana West Africa Missions by contacting Josiah Tilton, Executive Director, PO Box 40, Searcy AR 72145. (Call 501-278-5887 to give with debit or credit card). *

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