Capture Rain for Clean Water
As humans, our relationship to rain can be complicated. On one hand, rain makes crops and flowers grow and flourish. On the other hand, rain can be a destructive force. Especially in the last few years, we’ve seen around the world, the havoc that can result from too much rain in too short a time period.
In rural Rwanda, as in much of the rest of the world, rain storms are becoming more volatile. As this trend has developed, we can see that capturing rain can do more than provide clean water; it can also protect communities.
Noel Uwizeyimana is a Rwandan pastor whose church received a rain water harvesting system last year. Before the rain water harvesting system was installed, the church often flooded during heavy rains. But not anymore.
Noel said his church desperately needed a tank, “because when there was a heavy rain, water was flooding in front of the building which was destroying the building outside as well as inside. We praise God for having this tank in order to save water which was damaging to us! And we are now able to use it for a good cause!”
Noel’s church now serves as a source of safe water for the entire community. Before, families in the community had to walk the long distance to a local lake just to fetch water. Now, families are able to access filtered rain water right from the church’s tank.
Noel is so grateful to everyone who played a role in the installation of the rain water harvesting system at his church. And now, instead of dreading heavy rains, Noel and his church have a reason to look forward to them instead!
