Clean Water for Today – and Tomorrow

Heidi Chupp • Oct 13, 2020

Under a bright blue sky, in the dry shrubland of northern Zimbabwe , a small group gathered around a concrete platform and an odd-shaped contraption with two handles. It was a brand new well.

The members of Kanyemba village took turns, two at a time, to crank the well, pulling the water up from its underground reservoir. The new handles were stiff at first, but the more they were used, the easier the job became. Children, women and men all stepped up and took their turn. Anyone who wanted to help was welcome.

As everyone waited and watched for the first drops of water, they sang, danced and clapped. Shouts and cheers and laughter rose as the water began pouring out of the spout and into the bucket below. There were songs of gratitude to the team that installed the well, and to God for providing this source of water.

Safe water. Abundant water.

The Price of Water

Before this well was installed, the village of Kanyemba had no reliable water source. Women and girls had to walk to another village’s well — or to a riverbed, where they dug holes to collect contaminated water. On the long walk back home, they often carried more than 40 pounds of water .

And this was at least once every day.

Village Well in Rural Zimbabwe

Without a local well, people in rural villages choose between long treks to other villages or contaminated water from other sources.

TEAM missionaries at nearby Karanda Mission Hospital saw the consequences every day. Patients arrived with waterborne illnesses that could easily kill them. The only long-term solution was helping the villages create new, reliable water sources.

Kanyemba is just one of several communities that received wells through TEAM in 2020 . Eight new wells were drilled in Kanyemba and other locations, and special hardware was installed on these and six other existing wells.

Each community provided a team of builders to help in the installation process. Locals were also trained in simple well maintenance to keep it running. Properly cared for, these wells will last decades longer than the common bush pump.

Deeper, Durable Wells

TEAM implemented the project with Design Outreach , a ministry that helps alleviate poverty through technology development. LifePumps , as these wells are called, were their first major engineering effort and are now found in nine countries.

LifePumps can pump water from depths traditional hand pumps can’t reach. And they are engineered to last at least 30 years with minimal maintenance .

And this, says Greg Bixler, Design Outreach’s CEO, helps build trust.

Communities Built on Clean Water

When a pump can run for decades without breaking down, people experience a mindset shift. They start to realize that water is not only available for them today, but it will also be available tomorrow.

Now, they can invest in seeds for a garden that will need watering throughout growing season. They can build up herds of cattle and goats, because they know there will be enough water to sustain the animals .

Their children can go to school instead of staying home to retrieve water from some far-off location. And more schools will be built, because teachers will come to a community with a consistent water supply.

Water wells bring stability, security and education.

Most teachers won’t come to a village that doesn’t have easy water access. A dependable well means a whole generation of children can get an education.

Villagers can construct stronger homes from brick, now that they not only have the water necessary to create bricks, but they also have the time to build their houses. Greg estimates that having a local, consistent source of water saves one individual about four hours per day.

“If we can start with something that works really well from the beginning,” says Greg, “it gives the community a big leg up and a head start in a way that they never would’ve had before.”

And building trust in this way, he says, builds relationships over time — and it builds a bridge to the love of God.

“I’ve heard community members in places around the world who have said they now believe in God because they have water in their village,” Greg says . “Because in their minds, they didn’t think that was possible.”

Although COVID-19 restrictions have limited their movements, TEAM missionaries are planning Gospel outreaches in each community that received LifePumps.

A Win for Villages and a Hospital

TEAM missionary Jon Christiansen coordinated the LifePump installation effort. He also oversees maintenance and development of Karanda Mission Hospital nearby. For him, this is the fulfillment of a vision that began about seven years ago.

“While we were mapping out the various phases for the [hospital’s] water system renewal effort,” he says, “I felt led to include one that focused on our surrounding community — especially those villages where the majority of our staff members came from.”

Water well installed in a village

Each village provided a team of builders to help install the wells and learn routine maintenance. With proper training, communities can keep a LifePump running for 30 years.

Karanda Mission Hospital was established in 1961 with the intention to serve the local rural population. But it has since grown to become one of the busiest hospitals in the entire nation of Zimbabwe . Often it’s the only available surgical hospital for the country’s 14 million-plus population.

A clean, reliable water supply is essential to keep Karanda up and running. But the surrounding communities need water, too, and sometimes the strain on the hospital’s water supply is heavy.

Jon says the wells are a win-win for this very reason. First, they directly benefit the communities where most of the hospital employees live. And second, they ease the water supply burden from the hospital, which cares for up to 200 inpatients and 300 outpatients each day.

‘Clean water, safe water’

Gilbert, a resident of Katsande village, is one grateful recipient of the clean water now available in his community.

The existing well in Katsande had started to show signs of corrosion

“We used to drink rust water,” Gilbert remembers. “Many people were suffering.”

Because the well in Gilbert’s community still had plenty of outflow, all it needed was an upgrade to its hardware. Now the life of this well has been extended, and it’s supplying fresh water once again to about 80 households each day .

“This well is very important to us,” Gilbert says. “We are fetching clean water from it, safe water.”

By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
Share by: