The Waters of Hope Project is a bike ride committed to raising money for clean water in Swaziland and the Sudan. Campus Minister for Columbia, Missouri, the Rev. Joe Chambers is participating in this event, with Canon Dan Smith’s son, the Rev. Mitch Smith. Over the course of 10 days riders will circle the Iowa countryside teaching about the Millennium Development Goals, along with the life saving goodness from clean water.
Please learn more about this event by going to www.watersofhope.org
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2008: Waters of Hope and a gift of evangelism
In 2008, Episcopalians from the Diocese of Iowa will help the Diocese of Swaziland celebrate its 40th anniversary with gifts of clean water and evangelism.
In early May — from the Day of the Ascension to the Day of Pentecost — a group of Episcopalians (and others) will bike 1,000 miles around Iowa to raise funds and educate local congregations about the Millennium Development Goals.
The goal of Waters of Hope is to raise $150,000 to purchase additional chlorinating units for Swaziland. The ride is brainchild of the Rev. Mitchell Smith, rector of Trinity Church, Waterloo, Iowa, who was moved to action after hearing a message from the Rev. Mike Kinman, executive director of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, at a diocesan convention two years ago.
A group that Smith anticipates will be 12 or more riders, are raising funds through personal pledges and corporate sponsorships. They have also asked Iowa Episcopalians to tithe from the checks received as part of the government’s economic stimulus effort. In addition, Scarfe has asked members of the diocese to deposit 25 cents into a special “UTO-like” box for each glass of water they drink during Eastertide.
Scarfe reports that the Diocese of Iowa has experienced an “incredible energy” in raising funds for Swaziland. In May 2007, when news of famine and drought was received, Iowa Episcopalians quickly contributed nearly $40,000. The Diocese of Iowa also gave a scholarship for education to Swaziland in the name of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, on the occasion of her visit last fall.
Smith reports that efforts to clean up the water in Swaziland work toward three of the Millennium Development Goals: lowering child mortality rates, improving maternal health, and helping stop the spread of disease.
Participants in the 2008 Iowa mission trip to Swaziland, planned for October, will bring the newly-purchased chlorinating units and provide training for their use.
The 2008 Iowa missioners will also bring another gift to Swaziland: evangelism. Scarfe reports that he has received an invitation from Swaziland Bishop Meshack Mabuza for Iowans to participate in a major evangelism effort as part of the diocese’s 40th anniversary. In turn, Mabuza has been invited to bring a small team of evangelists to Iowa next year for a diocesan-wide evangelistic mission, Scarfe reports.
These invitations grew out of an experience shared by Scarfe, Mabuza and their wives in the summer of 2005, when the four led a healing mission around Iowa. Scarfe said they witnessed many people coming forward for prayers for healing in services which ran four to five hours. He said that as a result of this experience, a healing ministry has become a regular part of his Episcopal visitations.
Tapping into passion
Scarfe reports that the companion relationship with Swaziland has energized the diocese around doing mission together and a greater sense of understanding the kingdom of God.
Look around and see what is going on and know that the Kingdom is among us, said Scarfe, paraphrasing Jesus’ answer to John the Baptist’s question.
You cannot manufacture this kind of interest, passion and energy without love and a sense of mission together, he said.
Mitchell Smith agrees. We are tapping into the passions of people in service to others, he said.
