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<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Pastor Mark Bankson (left), Leslie Hughes, Michael Hughes and Joyce Zeigen are raising money to build a water well for a village in Kenya.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, November 14, 2009 Stanwood church dinner to benefit village water project By Amy Daybert Herald writer STANWOOD — A Kenyan-themed community dinner at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church is part of an effort to raise awareness of the country’s problems with scarce water and sanitation. Organizers who are part of the Streams of Mercy Water Initiative hope the event raises money to build a water well in Kisii, a village in southwest Kenya. “It’s a big water access issue in Kisii and then in northern Kenya it’s a real drought issue,” Michael Hughes, a church member and co-chair of the Streams of Mercy Water Initiative said. “We’re hoping to improve and save lives in Kenya.” For a suggested donation of $10, anyone can take part in the event, which will feature Kenyan cuisine, a slide show presentation, live music and prizes. The dinner is the culmination of the Streams of Mercy water initiative, but funds for the cause will continue to be collected at the church through December, Hughes said. Fundraising began in September after church members saw photos from church council president Dan Haskins’ January trip to Kenya. Haskins is a veterinarian at Northwest Veterinary Clinic of Stanwood and was volunteering his services through Christian Veterinary Mission. During his presentation, photos of people carrying large buckets of water caught the attention of Hughes, Joyce Zeigen, co-chair of Streams of Mercy Water Initiative, and several other members of the congregation. They wanted to help. Soon the congregation and community members began filling water bottles with spare change to support construction of a water well and to help provide sanitation training and education about organic farming techniques to people in Kisii. A need for the help really hit home, Hughes said, when Edward Wanambisi, a Mount Vernon resident who moved with his wife, Lucy, and their six children from Kenya a year ago, spoke to members of the congregation. “It was powerful,” Hughes said about Wanambisi’s speech. “They know people who have had waterborne diseases — they’re rampant.” Wanambisi’s family lived four hours north of Kisii. He came to Skagit County in September 2000 and studied environmental and conservation issues at Skagit Valley College and Western Washington University. Wanambisi returned to Kenya in 2006 after receiving his master’s degree from Western Washington University. He started several community projects in Kenya including Eco-Garden, a program to teach locals about organic farming. The initiative is important, he said. “Having studied environmental issues and having lived there I know there are problems with water,” he said. “People get water from streams and they take cows to drink downstream and take water home from upstream. So it’s a better idea to have a protected stream or well where there is no outside contamination.” The money raised by Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church will be used by the Heidelberg Christian Community and Medical Centre, a Kenyan Christian relief organization. The organization Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will give matching funds up to $1,200. Church and community members have raised $1,000, Hughes said. He believes more water bottles full of change will be donated for the cause. “We hope to surpass $2,500,” Hughes said. “The outreach has been great and overwhelming.” News about the initiative continues to spread throughout the community, Pastor Mark Bankson said. “It’s humanitarian as well as faith related,” he said. “The need for water is only going to grow and it’s a tangible, practical way for us to help other people and feel like we’re making a difference.” Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491, adaybert@heraldnet.com. You’re invited A community dinner to raise funds for the Streams of Mercy Water Initiative is 6 tonight at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 27201 99th Ave. NW., in Stanwood. Suggested price for dinner is $10 per person. Donations will be accepted at the church through December. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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