As we are making our way toward Ghana, I thought it might be helpful to step back - recognize those who have come before us and appreciate all the work they have done to get the 15 water treatment systems to Ghana.
The most recent LWW water treatment system installed in Ghana was at the Cape Coast School for the Disabled this past July. No - no one missed the blog and no one named Levernier, Gross, Valentine, et al made the trek for the installation. The Cape Coast installation was led by the LWW Ghana Network Clean Water U instructor team (more on this group later). Cape Coast was LWW water treatment system 998!
Will Howie, found of LWW, began this journey decades ago. I am not going to get into all the history, chronology, etc. of LWW - please click on the LWW link on the page and read Will’s and LWW’s journey from seeing the need in Mexico to Cape Coast. Great story with great stories and even better experiences by the thousands of volunteers that have led the installations of nearly 1,000 systems.
LWW is a volunteer organization. There’s a small staff that help volunteers learn, answer, do, experience. Steve, Jeff, Kendall, Carie, Jennifer, Emily, Ralph, etc. live and lead this passion to bring living water to those in need. Then there are the many many volunteers that work with staff to help define, listen, learn, etc. from all the LWW experiences and turn those listenings back into information for the 998 operators, thousands of volunteers and so on. There are committees (carry over from the Presbyterian church...only Presbys get that joke), focus groups and networks. It’s hard to name everyone that contributes and works hard to make LWW a world class volunteer led organization and I certainly don’t know all the names/people that came before me in LWW, but I don’t think Chalmers and I are enroute today without the likes of Joanie, Dave, Ralph, Dan and many more. We thank you - the 15 LWW operator locations in Ghana thank you.
We are certainly not on our trek to Ghana this week with those that traveled to Ghana before us. Advent Presbyterian Church made the first commitment to Ghana with a LWW system. Andy & Susan showed those of us who followed how important is the need for treated water and how even more important are the relationships around tied to the treated water.
Idlewild Presbyterian Church followed Advent with the an installation of a water treatment system at the Presbyterian Women’s Center in Abokobi - yes where the conference will be take place this week. Since those first two systems there have been 13 more - 3 in the past 12 months. Buddy, Betty Anne, Carl, Pan, Forrest, Shari, Claire and so on are the many that have opened the “dusty trails” in Ghana for where we ar today. However, its a man named Jim that has persevered, work tireless and dreamed enormously to make this mission around water and relationships continue to push forward to where it is today.
I know I missed some important names - for this I am sorry.
I hope as you read this - you take away things: 1) LWW & the gifts of mission in Ghana hasn’t just happened - it’s commitment, work and most of all passion by many people over the past 15 years; 2) not all those names above have been to Ghana - but all have contributed to our responsibility to bring access to treated water to those in need and to build relationships.
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