Water from the Rock: The life-giving power of water
Restoring Kenyan landscapes and providing sustainable water access through the Nature Positive (N+) program.
As the sun shines bright on the dry, barren land of rural Kenya, he explains, “every season is a struggle.”
Plodding through his plantation, John Musyoka Mwangangi expresses his situation. He lives in small Kenyan tukuls with his cousin Judas, his wife, and two young children. Him and his cousin work tirelessly to farm on their modest plantation, growing what they can of maize, legumes, potatoes, and sugar cane. He explains, “sometimes if we get enough, we can get some to the market, to get some money to sustain our tomorrow.” Farming is their main source of food and income, so with the erratic Kenyan rains, hope is fleeting.
Additionally, Judas has the issue of mobility. His legs never fully developed and have atrophied, making farming and travel highly challenging. These are only some of the many obstacles that John’s family faces.Â
In rural Kenya, most families rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture for food and profit. When most work is found in farming, there is little room for other sources of income, leaving countless farmers empty-handed during the dry season. Water is imperative for growing and harvesting crops and for staying hydrated. Where there is no water, there is very little hope.
John’s family’s plantation succeeds because of a nearby spring that allows them to water their crops: “because there’s a stream of water to the plantation over there, we’re going to get some food to sustain us.” This water is what feeds his family and irrigates their harvest. Without it, there would be little hope during the dry seasons in East Africa.
The Bible also repeatedly references the importance of water — spiritual and physical — and the hope that it brings. The psalms often reference the abundance associated with streams of water (Ps 1:3), and God provided water in the wilderness to the Israelites when they needed it (Ex 17:6). Spiritually, baptism with water represents new life and being alive in Christ (Rom 6:4), and Jesus provides living water to all who come to him (John 4:14). In each case, water represents life and creates flourishing. At Tearfund, we want all people to flourish — both spiritually and physically.
This is why Tearfund has begun the Nature Positive (N+) program. This program seeks to restore the Kenyan landscape, increasing sustainable water access and providing life-changing hope to those who are thirsty. By reviving springs and teaching farming techniques like Conservation Agriculture (CA), Tearfund can help provide this renewed hope to those who are desperate for a drink. Focusing on helping women, girls, and those with disabilities, families like John and his cousins are having their land restored and a fruitful yield.
John’s wish is that with the income they’re able to make with the help of the spring, he can one day send his children to school. This program focuses on full land restoration, which results in life-changing results. Will you join us in providing this “new life” to those across the world through the love of Jesus?