Bishop's Well
For many years, Bishop's Well has been providing wells and purification systems to provide clean water to children and families in Africa. In 2012, a well was drilled at Jehovah Jira Children’s Home in Nairobi. The sale of water from this well will sustain the 150 children indefinitely!
Another well in Oloosirkon is providing the first clean water that the village has ever had! In addition, the Diocese of Sydney, Australia, has donated a water truck to help transport the clean water for sale, tremendously expanding the income and sustainability of the project. Even better, the income from selling water to businesses will all go back into a revolving loan fund to drill more wells.
Originally begun to provide clean water to those who did not have access to it, the Bishop’s Well expanded to be a Well of Resources to make positive differences in people’s lives in many areas, not just with water. In addition to water wells and equipment to bottle and sell water, we have pursued projects to build radio stations, process mango juice for sale, and many other projects.
Another well in Oloosirkon is providing the first clean water that the village has ever had! In addition, the Diocese of Sydney, Australia, has donated a water truck to help transport the clean water for sale, tremendously expanding the income and sustainability of the project. Even better, the income from selling water to businesses will all go back into a revolving loan fund to drill more wells.
Originally begun to provide clean water to those who did not have access to it, the Bishop’s Well expanded to be a Well of Resources to make positive differences in people’s lives in many areas, not just with water. In addition to water wells and equipment to bottle and sell water, we have pursued projects to build radio stations, process mango juice for sale, and many other projects.
Bishop's well lent fundraiser 2023
Bishop's well lent fundraiser 2022
COVID19 Aid and Projects
SPREADING JOY, NOT GERMS
The global pandemic has created the need for aid in a way we have never experienced before. While some nations have the resources to help citizens stay fed and have shelter, many do not. Over the course of 2020, aid has been provided including, but not limited to the following:
*see article below
- Aid to a clergy man who lost his job and whose house burned down
- Septic system repair at the Ugandan Archbishop's Chaplains house making the house inhabitable
- Aid for food in Argentina
- Kenya emergency food donations*
- Chlorine kits to safely make sanitizer and clean water*
- Mask making factory*
- Products and education for general hygiene in South Sudan*
- Payment for internet access in remote area
*see article below
Joy and rejoicing in Kenya for emergency food donations
Canon Getachew Teshome is a priest serving in Kenya. Originally from Ethiopia, “Getch” is an absolutely prodigious evangelist. He serves as a Canon for mission with Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit, the Primate of Kenya. Getch has not only led countless people of other religions to the true faith, he has trained and equipped literally hundreds upon hundreds of other evangelists to do the same. By God’s grace, Getch is responsible for a massive shift--a people-movement coming to Christ.
Now, with COVID-19 spreading like wildfire in Kenya, Getch has many people turning to him for help. We are partnering with him to provide basic staples. For months, the whole country has been shut down.
Now, with COVID-19 spreading like wildfire in Kenya, Getch has many people turning to him for help. We are partnering with him to provide basic staples. For months, the whole country has been shut down.
The government has been trying to avoid having the health care system overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients. That has left countless people stuck at home unable to get food.
When Getch contacted me on WhatsApp, he had people literally at his door asking for food. In a matter of minutes we were able to transfer money and get lots of people fed! That was a direct result of your faithfulness and generosity!
When Getch contacted me on WhatsApp, he had people literally at his door asking for food. In a matter of minutes we were able to transfer money and get lots of people fed! That was a direct result of your faithfulness and generosity!
Dear Bishop Bill,
Thank you very much for your generous gifts of your relief food donation you sent us recently.
We purchased the food and gave it all for about 40 households a week long food supply.
Your kind generosity and sacrificial gifts are able to feed over 200 individual for a week.
These are families who are affected by COVID lockdown and the recent tribal conflicts in northern Kenya.
Most of them are nomadic Christians in northern Kenya near Marsabit area.
I have attached the photos during the distribution.
May the Lord bless you and thank you very much for your continued apostolic ministry.
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
Hebrews 6:10
Canon Getachew
Thank you very much for your generous gifts of your relief food donation you sent us recently.
We purchased the food and gave it all for about 40 households a week long food supply.
Your kind generosity and sacrificial gifts are able to feed over 200 individual for a week.
These are families who are affected by COVID lockdown and the recent tribal conflicts in northern Kenya.
Most of them are nomadic Christians in northern Kenya near Marsabit area.
I have attached the photos during the distribution.
May the Lord bless you and thank you very much for your continued apostolic ministry.
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
Hebrews 6:10
Canon Getachew
Chlorine kits for sanitizer and water
When Americans need hand sanitizer, we go to a drugstore or Costco. That is not an option for most people in the world.
Now, there is new technology that takes table salt and electricity from a car or motorcycle battery that produces “food grade” chlorine. That means it is totally safe for sanitizing or even for purifying drinking water. Ekklesia has just shipped the first four of 14 set-ups to Kenya and Bolivia. Two of the machines will be taken from Nairobi to Juba, South Sudan. The chlorine is mixed to make hand sanitizer that can be used or sold, and the drops can be used to purify water. This is desperately needed!
Now, there is new technology that takes table salt and electricity from a car or motorcycle battery that produces “food grade” chlorine. That means it is totally safe for sanitizing or even for purifying drinking water. Ekklesia has just shipped the first four of 14 set-ups to Kenya and Bolivia. Two of the machines will be taken from Nairobi to Juba, South Sudan. The chlorine is mixed to make hand sanitizer that can be used or sold, and the drops can be used to purify water. This is desperately needed!
Joyful excitement over resources in South Sudan
South Sudan is the world’s youngest nation. After decades of strife with the northern forces, South Sudan emerged as an independent nation on July 9, 2011. Since then, it has been wracked by violence from different warring factions.
Probably the best thing going in the country is the fast-growing Episcopal Church of South Sudan, boasting eight million members--more than half the population. The Primate, ABp Justin Badi, is a great friend. An even closer relationship is with ABp Paul Yugusuk, son of ABp Benjamin Yugusuk, former Archbishop of Sudan. ABp Benjamin was also a wonderful spiritual father to me for many years from 1993 until his death in 2000. ABp Paul and I are brothers, and collaborate all the time. Your generosity just allowed us to send money to help with COVID-19 relief and prevention.
These photos (from upper left) show people displaced by fighting, a new mask factory we are helping with, a project to turn plastic jugs into hand washing/sanitization stations, and pictures of delivering the finished supplies.
ABp Paul wrote to me:
“Ndugu Kubwa [Big Brother], Thank you and the people of Ekklesia for your wonderful support. Our needs are very great. We are teaching hygiene, making masks, and sending teams out to teach how to avoid the spread of COVID. Your partnership is a tremendous encouragement.”
Probably the best thing going in the country is the fast-growing Episcopal Church of South Sudan, boasting eight million members--more than half the population. The Primate, ABp Justin Badi, is a great friend. An even closer relationship is with ABp Paul Yugusuk, son of ABp Benjamin Yugusuk, former Archbishop of Sudan. ABp Benjamin was also a wonderful spiritual father to me for many years from 1993 until his death in 2000. ABp Paul and I are brothers, and collaborate all the time. Your generosity just allowed us to send money to help with COVID-19 relief and prevention.
These photos (from upper left) show people displaced by fighting, a new mask factory we are helping with, a project to turn plastic jugs into hand washing/sanitization stations, and pictures of delivering the finished supplies.
ABp Paul wrote to me:
“Ndugu Kubwa [Big Brother], Thank you and the people of Ekklesia for your wonderful support. Our needs are very great. We are teaching hygiene, making masks, and sending teams out to teach how to avoid the spread of COVID. Your partnership is a tremendous encouragement.”
South Sudan Seed Project
In 2020, after a community in South Sudan was burned, we funded the rebuild of the local church cover, and started working on a seed project to help replace the food supply that was lost. In the spring of 2021, with the seed project fully funded, Abp. Paul Yugusuk purchased seed in Nairobi and it was sent as cargo on buses to Juba, South Sudan. On a trip to Nairobi, Bp. Bill met with Abp. Paul in Nairobi, where he received a joyful update. The plants are growing! In 2022, the crops were harvested and shared by the community. Because of your sacrificial support, a whole community has risen from the ashes and has food again!
Water Projects
Water Bottling
St. Nicholas Orphanage
One of the most exciting development projects we have done has been the water purification and bottling facility at St. Nicholas Children’s Home (Orphanage). The water facility is used as an educational tool with the teens who can also work in short shifts. At this point, they produce enough bottled water that it can be sold and the proceeds can provide all the support needed for the orphanage. In the pictures at the top of the page, you can see our friends Archbishop Ben Kwashi of Jos, Nigeria, and Archbishop Eliud Wabukala of Kenya. The water bottles in the background are “Hekima Water” (Hekima means “wisdom” in Swahili) that the teens at St. Nicholas’ bottled to sell at the GAFCON 2 conference.
high-Capacity Pump
Jehova Jireh Orphanage
On the eastern edge of Nairobi in an area called Kaiyoli, the Jehovah Jireh Children’s Home houses 50-75 children. Now a well with a projected yield has been drilled. When the high-volume pump is installed, the orphanage will be able to sell water and will become financially self supporting!
Sustainablity
Oloosirkon
The borehole in Oloosirkon is a special project. Not only is it the first pure water that has ever been produced in the village, it is also supplying enough water to have some to sell. The proceeds from the sale of the water are designed to go back into the drilling program to help other areas that do not have the capacity to raise the money to drill for themselves. Oloosirkon is another one of Ekklesia’s “sustainable projects” that keeps expanding the circle of ministry and care for people the longer it operates. Rather than constantly being aid-dependent, these projects operate and share blessing to others.
water Wells
Boreholes
It is not a simple matter to drill boreholes in Africa! There are all kinds of engineering reports that are needed to determine where we should drill; different materials have to be used in the varying soils of Kenya, rendering the drilling process complex. Usually, the boreholes are not in places with regular power from an electric company. We have to make arrangements for a diesel or solar powered pump. The more capacity that is needed, the more expensive the pump, and the more complex the installation. The photo below is of our drilling rig operating in a rural area that is desperate for water. With clean water only 600 feet below the surface, imagine the burden of having to draw water from a stream or pond (probably not clean water) and then walk several miles home carrying heavy water in a plastic can or bucket.
Bishop's Well - Haiti
Ekklesia’s vision and your generosity have brought hope through another sustainable project that has the potential to fully fund both the church and the school.
After Bishop Atwood visited Haiti, plans were made to provide a fresh water well. Clean water is a desperate need, as the water in Haiti is contaminated with E. coli and cholera. The completion of the well was time-consuming and expensive, made more difficult by the conditions in Haiti. Bishop’s Well donors faithfully saved coins in donation bottles for the project, and we partnered with Anglican Relief and Development both for the well and to repair hurricane damage and replace the roof.
Volunteer Larry Bentley from Engineers Without Borders visited and helped with site plans. Our long-term friend and ministry partner Doug Buller, Master Plumber and Electrician, made the trip to install the equipment you see below.
The water purification system includes the equipment to bottle water for sale. The completed system filters water to remove sediment and removes pathogens with ultraviolet purification.
The church can now develop the water sales business to provide ongoing income, which has the ability to deliver them from what was a never-ending need for outside aid. The inspiration for this project came from our similar installation (also with Doug Buller) at St. Nicholas Children’s Home in Nairobi, Kenya, where water bottling has been a phenomenally successful project. Profits provide income to support the orphanage at full capacity!
After Bishop Atwood visited Haiti, plans were made to provide a fresh water well. Clean water is a desperate need, as the water in Haiti is contaminated with E. coli and cholera. The completion of the well was time-consuming and expensive, made more difficult by the conditions in Haiti. Bishop’s Well donors faithfully saved coins in donation bottles for the project, and we partnered with Anglican Relief and Development both for the well and to repair hurricane damage and replace the roof.
Volunteer Larry Bentley from Engineers Without Borders visited and helped with site plans. Our long-term friend and ministry partner Doug Buller, Master Plumber and Electrician, made the trip to install the equipment you see below.
The water purification system includes the equipment to bottle water for sale. The completed system filters water to remove sediment and removes pathogens with ultraviolet purification.
The church can now develop the water sales business to provide ongoing income, which has the ability to deliver them from what was a never-ending need for outside aid. The inspiration for this project came from our similar installation (also with Doug Buller) at St. Nicholas Children’s Home in Nairobi, Kenya, where water bottling has been a phenomenally successful project. Profits provide income to support the orphanage at full capacity!
