1. The idea of and commitment to building a well in a Third World country came from the prayer, study and discussion of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ – On Care for Our Common Home by parishioners who were part of Father Tom Hayes’ 2016 Lenten study group. A parish committee was formed to help our parish know and understand that Caring for God’s Creation is one of the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

 

2. In the fall of that year, Father Hayes led a guided study of the book Just Water by Christiana Z. Peppard, a professor of ethics, theology and ecology at Fordham University. This book presents the theology, ethics and crisis of water in our world. The parish committee became the Creation Care Team and decided to help the whole parish know and reflect on Pope Francis’ encyclical by publishing small weekly reflections with suggested action steps in the bulletin.

 

3. IN the winter of 2017, the Creation Care Team decided to design and market reusable grocery bags to help to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags and to raise money for Catholic Relief Services which is dedicated to helping those in need world-wide and to fund water projects in needy countries.  We sold 200 bags with our parish’s name and the words “Caring for Creation”.

 

4. The weekend before Ash Wednesday 2017 became a special Mardi Gras celebrative and educational environmental fair in the Gathering Area complete with Dixie Land music at the 11:00 Mass, Mardi Gras themed display, environmental education, activities for families, and fundraising to aid water projects. We were able to send $500 to Catholic Relief Services and decided to take on a larger project of raising the funding to build a well in Africa.

 

5. We learned – through researching national/international organizations that worked with Third World countries -  that we needed to raise a minimum of $12,000.00-15,000.00 to build a well. We established criteria that would include:

• A solid reputation in the use of donated resources
• Experience in third world countries
• A track record of working with local organizations that empower local communities and train them in building, managing, and overseeing their use into the future
• A “fit” with the expectations of our parish and an opportunity to receive regular updates, reports and communication

 

6. After research, personal contact, and discussion, the Creation Care Team chose The Water Project, a faith based organization in Concord, New Hampshire with a ten- year history of water projects in Third World countries. They offered us the opportunity to build a well in southeastern Kenya, Africa for the Kivani Community which would provide clean, safe and accessible water for the 500 children and adults who live there.  Work will begin in mid -October.  Our parish can follow the progress as the well is built and operating and meet this community through the website https://thewaterproject.org/community/projects/kenya/shallow-well-project-4784

 

7. As the word got out this summer – via the bulletin and personal contact - that the parish wanted to build a well, parishioners, neighbors and family members gave very generous donations. Our recently retired pastor Father Tom Hayes had been the inspiration and support for this project through his homilies and book studies. Many people donated funding for this project at his retirement reception. Our young people have added to this through the CLYNK bottle drive with Hannaford and other fund- raising efforts.  Some donors gave money in memory of family members and others involved their adult children in a family effort.  By mid -summer we had surpassed our initial $15,000.00 goal and as we begin fall, we are 2/3’s near the funding for a second water project.

 

8. Some donors had hoped that memorial donations for family members could be in scripted on our well.  Our committee, in contact with all well building organizations, learned that it is not possible to guarantee this. The parish will place an appreciation memorial in the Gathering area after this project is finished.

 

9. Our Kenya well will bear the inscription on The Water Project website that this well is given through the generosity of the St. Thomas the Apostle Community in Delmar, New York and through the inspiration of our former pastor, Father Thomas Hayes. An additional second water project will also be dedicated to the parish community.

 

10. We will work through this fall and winter to complete the fund raising for a 2^nd water project.  We are selling beautiful children’s books that make wonderful birthday or Christmas gifts. We continue to accept donations to complete our second project. Checks are to be written to St. Thomas the Apostle Church with the words The Water Project in the memo line. We will use the bulletin and the parish website to share information with the parish

 

11.  We invite interested parishioners to join our Creation Care Team. Present members are Virginia Acquario, Mary Bayham, Wilma DeLucco, Rose Ann Garry, Mary Ann Hospodor, Barbara Leonard, Christine Kallner, Marie & Peter Myer, Jeanne Schrempf, and Dick Svenson. We are grateful for the support of our pastor Father David Berberian in the work of this committee.

 
 
Jeanne Schrempf and Richard Svenson
October 2, 2017