October Living Water for the People of Adiedo,

Excited Residents of Adiedo stand with a banner
announcing next week's Evangelistic Crusade

The small village near the shores of Lake Victoria in Western Kenya has seen its share of  dark days.  But not anymore as the Light of Jesus Christ comes beaming through starting this weekend and all through next week. 

David Opap who grew up here and now serves as executive director of Spring of Hope International, a partner organization with SWIM in bringing the gospel to the residents of Adiedo next week reminisces:

"We faced water borne diseases and death daily from contaminated water and a good dose of ignorance due to iliteracy.  We had no source of clean water.   The only water to drink was the infested pond water that the animals would drink from and urinate in.  Many died from drinking the water, including my siblings and eventually my mother. My young brother and I both got sick at the same time.  He died.  When I recovered, it was as if I’d been snatched from a lion’s mouth."

Opap fell ill and became anemic. While he waited for a blood transfusion, his mother prayed, and he was miraculously healed without the transfusion. After surviving these near-death experiences, Opap believed God wanted to use him to bring hope to the people of Adiedo.



Dave Opap

“When I reached the age when I knew between good and evil, my mama took me to an evangelistic  crusade in a near-by town where the salvation message was being preached.  My life has never been the same. I have continued to walk with trust and to serve the Lord."

Through a series of divinely ochestrated events, Opap soon found himself at Northwestern College in Minneapolis, MN for studies.  He endured the cold weather, often riding his bike through the snow to get to school in the winter months. At Northwestern, God prepared him to do the work he had been called to do.

He returned home to Kenya for the first time in 2000, where HIV/AIDS had been added to the problem of water-borne illness.
“I was then left with a choice: either to go back to America and keep silent or come back and try to look for ways to repair my Adiedo, which was on the path of hopelessness,” says Opap.

He founded Spring of Hope International, a nonprofit ministry to bring clean water to Adiedo and other parts of Africa.

In 2009, Opap’s first dream was realized when they drilled the first well in his village. Since then, Opap and a team from New Life Center church in Spokane, WA, have brought solar ovens to the women in the village that would allow them to create baked goods to sell. Spring of Hope continues to expand with child sponsorship, endowment funds to promote education for the people and micro-financing for Kenyan business endeavors.

Part of our Adiedo ministry team

Late last year, having met the felt needs of the people of Adiedo, Opap felt the greatest need of his people was yet to be met.  That is when he invited our SWIM team to come alongside and help deliver this most important commodity to his village.

He said: "If our people are to rise above the daily struggles and triffles, they need something more than clean water, education, and development opportunities.  They need what I received that day at the evangelistic crusade which completely changed the trajectory of my life and gave me hope and purpose to live for.  They need Jesus Christ in their lives and the forgiveness and the meaning and purpose for life that He brings."

This coming week in Adiedo, David's dream will be realized as we partner together with the Adiedo community churches, Spring of Hope International and team members from Life Center Church, Spokane, WA, to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the residents of Adiedo.   A two day pastor's and leaders conference will precede the two-day Festival of Hope and the area wide Sunday Service for believers and new converts on Sunday October 21st conducted by pastor Joe Witwer of New Life Center Church.

Ministry team members travelling to Adiedo

Pray that many residents of Adiedo will realize their need for salvation through Christ.  Pray for me as I preach at the Crusade to articulate the truth of Christ with great clarity.  Pray for the team members from New Life Center who will teach at the Leadership Conference and minister in various settings that each one will be greatly anointed to teach the truth of Christ that sets humanity free.  Pray for Pastor Joe as he conducts the area-wide service on the 21st and leads the new belivers into the waters of baptism along with local pastors. 

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