THE BACKGROUND:  Mt. Moriah Children’s Home was founded by Pastors Stephen and Meredith Giles of Mt. Moriah Church in 2000.  Both Stephen and Meredith are married and the pastors of Mt. Moriah Church.  From a young age both individuals have had a heart for orphans.  Approximately 20 years ago they heard about orphans living in a chicken coop in Nyahururu, Kenya and started the orphanage to provide a home and education for those orphans and others like them.  They have since built a campus for both girls and boys of all ages which includes a kitchen, dormitories, a meeting hall and a small farm from which to grow their own food and raise their own chickens and cattle.  The largest need was potable water that could be used for cooking and drinking.  The community water source they used was unreliable and dirty.   This created major obstacles for normal daily living activities such as cooking and drinking.  Many days they could not perform these necessary functions due to constant water insecurity.

During the summer of 2019 Mt. Moriah Church and Lakepoint Community Church decided to join forces to install a reliable well that would provide the children’s home a fresh and clean source of water on demand.  Both churches recruited volunteers who had specific skills to give of their time and energy.  A total of 12 people traveled across nine time zones, eleven countries, 8000+ miles, four separate flights and four days of travel to reach their destination.  Several companies and organizations generously donated money, supplies and support so that this well would spring forth with the precious gift of fresh water.  These companies included Superior Electric of Troy, MI;  Electrical Workers Without Borders – North America of Washington, DC;  and Doterra Essential Oils from Pleasant Grove, Utah.

THE WORK:  The work was completed by a very talented crew of individuals with diverse skills and decades of combined experience.  Some of the volunteers were from the skilled trades. They comprised a journeyman plumber, a fourth generation well driller, a paving specialist and landscaper, and myself, a retired electrician from IBEW Local 58 in Detroit.  Other volunteers painted, taught the African staff how to sew clothes for the children with sewing machines, cooked delicious meals and provided all around assistance.  Their efforts were invaluable and it truly took a team effort to accomplish the enormous goals set before us upon our arrival.

The following is a list of the major work completed.  It does not include many of the small but important tasks that each team member undertook to make this project a success.

·       Assisted with drilling a 600 foot well

·       Installed a new water pump; solar/electric water heater

·       Installed lights in boys’ bathroom

·       Added additional outlets in guest house

·       Repaired onsite generator as a temporary power source for well pump

·       Secured disconnect, fuse terminals, pressure switches, and plumbing piping for well installation

·       Installed well pump controls components in newly built well pump house

·       Powered well pump temporarily until Kenya Power installed the new source

·       Coordinated with Kenya Power Authority for new service on property at well pump house

·       Painted girls’ and boys’ dormitories and shower rooms

·       Installed brick paver driveway on compound to alleviate mud pooling during the rainy season

·       The female volunteers educated orphanage staff on use of essentials oils donated by Doterra

·       The female volunteers educated girls and female staff about menstruation as well as normalized this necessary bodily function.  Menstruation is a taboo subject in many parts of Africa and females are often excluded from society and discriminated against while menstruating.  Donated menstruation packets and educational resources to the girls and female staff.

·       Delivered new bedding, vitamin supplements, medication and other necessary items to the orphanage that were purchased by donated funds from the U.S.

THE RESULT:  The trip was considered a huge success on many levels.  First, the well was installed and working before we left.  Although it was operating on temporary power, Kenya Power Authority has been scheduled to install permanent power in the near future.  The painting, paving, and other miscellaneous electrical repairs were accomplished along with some necessary plumbing issues resolved. 

Another level of success was the comradery, positive attitude, and teamwork demonstrated by both church teams.  Pastor Jesse Holt from Lakepoint Community Church shared that he has been on many volunteer trips but none compared to how well everyone worked together and got along throughout the entire process.  This certainly was a major factor the contributed to the success of the trip.

THE FUTURE:  There is still more work that needs to be done in order for the children’s home to blossom into its founders’ vision.  The needs are great but so is the vision and the hope.  For example, at the top of their wish list is a new school on site to provide adequate education for the orphans and for the children of the village.  A wall needs to be fully completed around the perimeter for protection.  The orphanage had started an egg business by purchasing and raising hens.  The hens produced the eggs that the orphanage sold so that they might one day become self-sustaining.  Sadly, because the wall was incomplete, one evening thieves stole all of their chickens and equipment.  They have not been able to afford to replace what was stolen.  They would like to use the surrounding acreage as farmland to grow more food for their consumption and to sell as a way to make a steady income for the orphanage.  The land needs to be prepped for farming as well as obtaining the necessary farming equipment needed. The shower rooms for boys and girls needs to be completed.  For example, there is only one shower and one toilet for each dormitory.  Additional plumbing needs are for shower, toilet, sink and vanity installation.  There are many more smaller items on the wish list but they are always so grateful for any support, donation and volunteer involvement they receive.

Upon returning to the US, I was asked a profound question by the VP of Superior Electric, Dale Massy, for whom I worked for many years.  He asked me what was the most satisfying part of the trip that I experienced.  Without hesitation I answered, “I am so pleased that I was part of this experience that allowed me to play a role in leaving Mt. Moriah Children’s Home a better place.  They now have fresh, clean drinkable water that they can use daily and share with the villagers.” 

My future hope is to be able to be a part of a team that work together to make the world a better place for those in need.  I would like to partner with other skilled tradespeople who have that same passion, including EWWB – NA.   I am grateful to them as they helped to make this trip possible and have the same vision to go out into the world to volunteer their skills to help those that need it most. I am also thankful to Superior Electric for their generous donation and for all of the donations received from groups and individuals.  I truly experienced at the deepest level that it is better to give than to receive and I highly recommend it.