Mission Trip 2004
Back from the front lines in the battle against terrorism
by Tom Logan

The terror of unsafe drinking water that afflicts 1.1 billion people throughout the world. Cholera, bloody diarrhea, water born diseases. People dying, mostly children (9,500 everyday according to UNICEF).

Yes, back from the front lines. Back from blasting through the bush in 4-wheel-drive pickup trucks delivering 110-pound bags of cement, pipes, pumps and people to remote African villages. Not asking or knowing which village is Christian, Muslim, or non-believers. Sharing Christ’s love regardless of who they are or their beliefs. Working hand-in-hand with the people, fixing flat tires, going where there are no roads, or electric power, or means of communication. Not speaking the language or understanding the culture. Sleeping, eating, working, sweating, doing the best you can where you are with what you have to share Christ’s love. Risking malaria and car accidents in places where there is no medical care. Sleeping in strange places, sometimes going without food and safe drinking water. Losing 10, 15, 20 pounds in 8 weeks.

And Oh, the joy, the happiness, the celebration. Embracing the people and the people embracing you. People singing, dancing, falling on the ground rolling in the dirt in celebration of safe drinking water. All because Christ has opened the door for us if we follow His teachings. If we share His love with God’s creation: with Christian, with Muslim, with non-believers.

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A typical drinking water source in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia

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Safe, clean, drinking water flows for God's people

 When you see someone wearing a shallow well t-shirt and ball cap, even though you have never seen them before and don’t speak the language, you stop, greet, hug each other in the excitement and everyone’s grinning ear to ear. It can’t get better than this.

How powerful our God. How wonderful. 709 wells in two months far surpassing our unrealistic–impossible goal we had this year of building 500 wells – and there are another 37 wells close to completion. 175,000 plus people with safe drinking water, 175,000 people who will not have to worry about their children dying of cholera or dysentery.

We are in partnership with Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Synod of Livingstonia and more recently the Synod of Nkhoma and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, Konde Diocese. Since 1990, with our partners, Marion Medical Mission has built over 3500 shallow wells – working hand-in-hand with the people in a horizontal relationship where we value the other persons ideas, feelings, hopes, and culture. This represents 800,000 people with safe water (7% of the population of Malawi). This represents self-help. This represents sustained development in the village. This represents Christ’s love shared with others. This represents Christ’s love shared with us. This represents God’s love in action in the here and now. Awesome, incredible, miraculous.


Connect the dots. If you want to win the war on terrorism share Christ’s love with God’s creation.

Of course non-Christians don’t do things like Christ would do them – they are not Christians. But if we are, if we really believe in Christ, we try to do things like Christ would – regardless of what the non-Christians do. If we really believe there is no other way.

We’ve got work to do. Let’s get on with it. Christians where are you? We can’t wait for the government to do it because they won’t. Don’t wait for anybody. This is a job God saved for us.

The dream of the Kasoba Muslim-Christian primary school is now a reality. The government of Malawi has given its approval and blessing. The site plan has been completed. The eight villages that will send their children to the school (both Christian and Muslim working together hand-in-hand) have made and carried brick and sand to the site. They have also donated 29,400 kwacha (This is the local currency and comes to about $300.00. Very impressive).

I attended the groundbreaking ceremony on October 18th. The week of November 28, 2004, one hundred bags of cement were delivered and construction has started on the first 2-room school block… “His wonders to behold.”

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