November 2005. Water - the Gift of Life/ Digging Deep.

Several weeks ago, The Australian AIDS Fund received a middle - of -the -night - SOS from Msema in Malawi. Both of the village's wells had finally given out, forcing the population of 2,561 to seek water from another source...three miles away.Could we help the orphans at our San Michel home buy some bicycles so that they could get the water they needed from its distant source?

The machines were soon bought and put into service!

But, thanks to one of our very generous supporters, we've since been able to provide the funds to sink a new well...and to repair a second!

The drill went down 40 metres...and drew a blank. But just 5 metres deeper they found an excellent supply of good tasting water..enough to last years!!!

Enough not only to meet the Msema's needs but also 3,000 other people from neighbouring villages....WONDERFUL NEWS!

The new well's been named 'Elsie's Well" after the generous donor who provided the money for it. Permanent seating has also been built at both sites and hopefully, some fruit trees will follow soon.Oases.

The delight of the villagers was spontaneous, breaking into prayer and song as they did in thanksgiving at the new well site. How much we can take water for granted...to drink, to cook with, to bathe in, to wash our clothes with...until, suddenly it's gone.