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Marigold fields surround the small huts. Its name means, “flower village”.
Many of Poolapally’s 300 families work the land as horticulturists --
flower farmers. Dependent on the less than steady rainfall, the village’s
meager existence has become threatened over the last several years. See how
OBI had a hand in changing this community’s future!
As his father’s only son, Pentiah had spent his life providing for his
family by working in the marigold fields. Pentiah lost his parents as a teenager,
forcing him to continue to provide for himself. He soon married and became a
father.
Borrowing large sums of money to help cultivate the land and paying it back
at harvest time was the way of life for Pentiah and his neighboring farmers.
Experiencing continually small harvests, debts grew and earnings barely covered
food expenses. Pentiah owed money to several moneylenders. Desperate, he asked
local authorities several times to help the community by building a water source
to use both for the fields and drinking. Silence answered him. Hopeless, Pentiah
committed suicide. Tragically, he also took his wife and three-year-old son.
Hearing of the tragedy the local authorities provided an open well a half a
mile’s walk away. It was deemed contaminated, many diseases were spreading
and it was too far for many of the women to walk. Told that there is no water around
their village, Poolapally’s pastor contacted the Christian Broadcasting
Network’s India Living Water Team and asked for help.
In partnership with Operation Blessing, the Living Water drilling team arrived.
This would be the first of 50 wells to be sponsored by the King Benevolent Fund!
As they drilled, the villagers watched enthusiastically. To their amazement,
water gushed forth. The people exclaimed, “This is God given water.”
One woman exclaimed, “Now I don’t have to walk for half a mile
to get water. I have clean drinking water right in the village. Thank you.”
A grateful man commented, “No one has ever done such a good thing for
us, as an appreciation I would like to donate a piece of my land to build a
church.”
Every month the Living Water team provides 50 to 60 villages with clean drinking
water. The leader of the drilling team commented, “We have seen a 99 percent
success rate. None of the wells we have dug have gone dry. We have seen many
lives changed for the glory of God. We thank CBN and Operation Blessing for
making this possible for the people of India.”
Stay tuned as more well drilling projects begin to take place around the world!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Help break the cycle of suffering by giving toward Operation Blessing's water wells and cisterns program. A gift of $1,800 can drill a well for villages and supply families with clean drinking water.
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Copyright © 1997-
2009
by Operation Blessing International of this page and all contents. No part of this site may be used without prior written consent from OBI. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Email us at operation.blessing@ob.org.
Copyright © 2009 by Operation Blessing International of this page and all contents. No part of this site may be used without prior written consent from OBI. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Email us at operation.blessing@ob.org. If you want to graphically link to the Operation Blessing web site, click here. Donations to OBI are used in support of humanitarian relief and community development programs in the United States and worldwide. They are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
