Follow along as Anna, a young girl in Malawi, shares her story about her family’s journey for clean water. As you read along in the story, follow the links to find Bible readings, reflection and discussion questions, and a special activity. Along the way, you will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, heartaches and unwavering faith of the families served by Cross Catholic Outreach in Africa and around the world.
“Anna, it’s time to get up,” my mom says, gently shaking me awake. We are up before the sun, just like we are every day, because we need to go collect water. Once I’m out of bed, I hear my mom wake my little sister, Gloria. After rubbing my eyes awake and getting dressed, I grab the bucket I use to collect water and follow my mom and sister out the door.
I’ve gotten used to the early mornings and long walks to get water for my family, but Gloria hasn’t. She’s 4 years old and gets easily distracted, so I hold her hand on the way to the river. I had to learn how to collect water when I was Gloria’s age, and so did my mother and grandmother. It’s part of life in our village.
Since Gloria is little, she only carries a water bottle. I have a bucket, and I’m usually very tired after carrying it back to the village full of water — but it’s still not as big as my mom’s jerrycan.
A jerrycan is a large container used to transport liquids. It can usually hold about 5 gallons at a time. In the U.S., we use jerrycans to carry gas, but in Africa, many women use them to collect water.
“Anna, you’ll need to take water to Mama Dorothy this morning. You can run on ahead,” my mother tells me as she takes Gloria’s hand.
I run and catch up with my friend, Esther. As we walk, we imagine what it must be like for kids in other parts of the world.
“Do you think children in America also collect water from rivers and streams?” Esther asks.
“Of course!” I tell her. “Everyone needs water.”
Esther and I continue chatting as we walk, unaware that there are kids who don’t rise so early or walk so far to find water.
While walking to the river, we hear some of the women worrying that the water might make their families sick. It is a very hot day, so they also worry there won’t be enough water for everyone. When there isn’t enough water in the river, we dig holes in the dirt to try to find some more beneath the ground.
Thankfully, there is water in the river today. I fill my bucket and start the long journey back to our neighbor, Mama Dorothy.
“Mama” is a term of respect given to elderly women in African countries like Kenya and Malawi.
Mama Dorothy is sitting on her front porch when I arrive.
“Asante sana, Anna!” she exclaims when I show her the water I’ve collected for her. Mama Dorothy is my family’s elderly neighbor. It’s difficult for her to walk very far, so all the neighbors take turns collecting water for her.
“Fr. Nicholas was just here to deliver food. Would you like to join me for a meal?” Mama Dorothy asks. My stomach growls at her invitation, and I decide to stay and help her cook.
Fr. Nicholas is the local parish priest. Because he delivered a box of food to Mama Dorothy, that means my mom will go to the church and pick up a box for our family later today too.
This is good news because when our village doesn’t get rain, we don’t have enough water to grow food. On some days, my friends and I have gone to school without eating anything, and we haven’t had the energy to play because we felt too hungry.
In those hard times, church leaders like Fr. Nicholas do all they can to help give us food.
While we cook, Mama Dorothy tells me that the church also has some medicine to help the village. She hopes it will relieve her aches and pains and help us when we get sick from drinking dirty water.
“But do you want to hear the best news of all?” Mama Dorothy asks. “A new well will be built at the church! Can you believe it, Anna?”
I walk home feeling happier after hearing Mama Dorothy’s news. How different will my life be once the new well is built?
Asante sana means “thank you very much” in Swahili, a language spoken in several countries of Central and Eastern Africa. It is the official language of Kenya, one of the countries where Cross Catholic Outreach helps build wells.
A few months after Mama Dorothy told me about the new well, my village gathered to celebrate its grand opening. This new well has completely changed my life! Its water never runs out, and it is so clear and clean that I don’t get sick anymore. The new well is also close to our home, so I don’t have to wake up as early. I have a lot more energy for school, and now I have time to play!
The whole village gathered to celebrate and see Fr. Nicholas bless the well. After Mass, my classmates and I shared songs and dances we learned for the special day, and Mama Dorothy said a prayer for all the people who helped us build the new well. We finished our celebration by planting trees on the church grounds and collecting water from the new hand-pump well. Everyone took fresh, clean water home that day.
A hand pump works by creating a vacuum that draws water up from a well manually. In countries like Malawi and Zambia, hand pumps are commonly used to collect water.
Our new well has made cooking, cleaning, drinking and bathing so much easier. Now there’s enough water to cook breakfast. I’m no longer hungry at school and have more energy to pay attention in class.
Esther and I have been able to focus better on our homework and have started dreaming about what we want to be when we grow up. Esther’s still not sure, but she says her brother wants to be a priest and help people just like Fr. Nicholas does. I like helping people too. Maybe I will be a doctor!
It feels good to have enough food in our bellies and time to dream like this.
Today in school, Fr. Nicholas visited our class and taught us how to pray the rosary. He said it is a great way to thank God for everything he’s done in our village and to pray for the friends who made it possible.
I love praying and giving thanks to Jesus!
Your dedication to prayer, fasting and almsgiving this Lent could help the Church in Africa build wells, and by sharing about the need with your family and friends, you can be an ambassador for this mission.
