By Ernest Herndon | Religion Editor
Some New Heights Baptist
Church youths who learned about the shortage of
clean water in Africa took action recently by
joining the H2O4K project — Clean Water for Kenya. At the church’s July 4
celebration, youths set up a booth, handed out
water, and told people about the needs of rural
African villagers.
“A lot of (African) people — mothers and kids — were
walking as far as three and four hours a day to get
water, a bucket of water, that you and I would not
walk through, much less drink and wash clothes
with,” said youth minister Nathan Wells.
The youths learned about the project this summer at
Big Stuf Camp in Panama City, Fla., Wells said.
The camp, an outreach of North Point Community
Church in Alpharetta, Ga., teamed up last year with
Compassion International.
“After having visited Kenya with Compassion
International, they realized how much need was down
there,” Wells said.So the camp formed an
organized called 410 Bridge, based on 1st Peter
4:10: “Each one should use whatever gift he had
received to serve others, faithfully administering
God’s grace in its various forms.”
The project works with the nation of Kenya as well
as individual communities to “get water to the
people,” Wells said.
That involves digging deep freshwater wells at some
$3,000 each and helping with other water projects
and education.
New Heights students recently set up a Myspace Web
site and opened an account at Pike National Bank
under the name “water4kenya.” They also printed
T-shirts with the slogan “H2O4K.”“They’re just really on
fire about it,” Wells said.
“It’s something that’s really on their heart.”
Wells said the students came up with the idea of
joining the project on their own.
The church’s 43 youths and leaders are planning such
fund-raisers as paintball and golf tournaments, an
art sale and a smoked chicken dinner. They’re also
seeking corporate sponsorships.
“We’re looking at some trips to Kenya to actually go
down and be a part of it,” Wells said.“We’re sitting here
bathing in swimming pools and drinking bottled water
... These people are just begging for clean water,
something that won’t kill them.”
ON THE WEB:
www.410bridge.org
www.myspace.com/water4kenya