The CBN Living Water Wells Project in Nigeria is aimed at ameliorating the acute water shortage in the rural areas. In the light of this, CBN International in conjunction with its partners on Jan. 30, 2003 brought joy and comfort to the people of Saburi village in Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Saburi village is a settlement of Gbagyi indigenes, with a population of about 1,500 people who are predominantly Muslims. Their main occupation is farming and trading.

The presence of the Living Water Well in Saburi village is a welcome relief because, over the years, the village has suffered acute shortage of potable water, a situation that has forced the people to resort to fetching water from streams and ponds with its attendant health hazards.

Before this time the villagers used to trek a distance of two kilometers from their village to fetch water from streams and ponds that is also the source of water for their cattle and domestic animals.

The siting of the Living Water Well in Saburi village has helped to settle quarrels among the indigenes who had to make rules as to when each family represented in the village could fetch water from the only available pond.

It was indeed a celebration of joy for the people of Saburi village because for them Jan. 30 was a dream come true. The entire community expressed their profound gratitude to God, and CBN International for bringing hope and comfort to them after having been abandoned by the government. The villagers as a demonstration of their joy and happiness to CBN International and its partners greeted the occasion with singing and dancing, and shouts of joy.

The chief of the village expressed his profound gratitude to CBN and CBN partners for blessing them with potable water that they can now call their own. He was full of appreciation and thanksgiving. In his own words he said: "On behalf of my council and the community I thank CBN. May God reward you for the love shown to us today. Once again thank you Mother Dee and Daddy Doc (donors of the well)."

John Kalma, the Living Water Well supervisor in Nigeria, commissioned the well. Pastor Peter Imonhiosen, in charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Saburi village, assisted him.

The residents of Saburi village could hardly wait for the cutting of the tape before they rushed out en-mass with their containers to fetch water from the tap.

The commissioning of the Well attracted a large crowd of men and women including school children from the village who came out in their hundreds to celebrate the Living Water Well and to express their profound gratitude to CBN and the well donors -- Mother Dee and Daddy Doc -- for bringing hope to the community.

The village headmaster said: "This well is for all of us. It has relieved us from the acute water shortage. We shall all drink from it. Please convey my special thanks to Mother Dee and Daddy Doc and CBN International for providing us with water which is life."

A video outreach was organized at the time of the commencement of the digging of the well. During the meeting, 230 people were exposed to the gospel. Out of this number, seven people gave their lives to Christ. This number formed the nucleus of the congregation of a new Church that has now been planted in Saburi village.

Donors can designate their gifts for the wells. The cost is $1,000. Donors receive a specially dedicated well, a wooden plaque, a written report, and a photo album from the dedication ceremony. To sponsor a well send a check for $1,000 to Wells Project, CBN Center, 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463. Write "Well Project" in the memo field.