At the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, meeting in June, United Thank Offering granted $46,000 to a group from St. Richard’s Episcopal Church, Winter Park, to support the digging of two wells in the arid region of Kondoa, Tanzania.

“The effort is to find water on property owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Konda, to bring the population of surrounding villages to the church for both well water and the living water of love and community,” said the Rev. Allison Harrity, rector of St. Richard’s.

“This project is special in that Pam Taormina, our missioner to Africa from St. Richard’s, is working in partnership with the Africa Windmill Project (AWP) and Bishop Given Gaula from the Diocese of Kondoa,” she said. “Pam connected to Kimberly and John Drake of the Africa Windmill Project after seeing the great need the people of Kondoa had for a reliable source of water and the good work that AWP was doing to get sustainable farming established in Malawi.”

The AWP was very interested in the new challenges that dry Kondoa would pose as they have been working in Malawi, where water is more abundant. In conversation with Bishop Gaula, it was decided that two bore-hole style wells needed to be established to give people clean, potable, reliable water.

The alternative, pit wells, commonly get contaminated because they are open to the air. They also dry up. Bore-hole wells are very expensive to survey and drill, but are more sanitary .

“It was clear that the region needed access to water and in January we had the opportunity to apply for the UTO Grant,” Rev. Harrity said. “We are thrilled that the support of the UTO will make these wells a reality, and change the world for many in Kondoa.”

The parish of St. Richard’s has developed a relationship with the Diocese of Kondoa. This East African Anglican Diocese has been in existence since 2001. They have been busy establishing literacy courses for wives of the church leadership.  A vocational school has been started. The sewing program has had their first group of graduates.   Many churches have been planted.  Deacons have been ordained.  It has been an exciting a productive time. Bishop Given Gaula and his wife, the Rev. Lilian Gaula, visited St. Richard’s in September, 2013.

Parishioners from St. Richard’s have traveled to Uganda to help install solar panels on a school, clinic and maternity home. Just as importantly they have been changed through personal contact with the people of Uganda and have helped to change the world.

The Episcopal Church’s United Thank Offering has been distributing funds for worthy projects throughout the world since 1883.

The mission of the United Thank Offering is to promote thankfulness to God for his many blessings by encouraging daily prayers and by making an offering in the UTO’s well-known blue boxes.

More information can be obtained from Rev. Harrity, apharrity@st.richards.org or Taormina at pwt6853@aol.com.