Water is a basic need of life. How do you cook, eat, stay healthy and adequately take care of the home without water? In many rural communities, not only is there little/no access to clean water but access to dirty water is as well, relatively difficult. This has led to the outbreak of sickness/diseases such as cholera, typhoid and even the untimely death of some.
STOG Missions, continously takes up the responsibility to ensure ease of access to clean water in various rural communities through the Living Water Project. From Akaran, to Idi Sango, to Ogarun, to Daagi, to Ajiwogbo, down to Elefon, we are gradually extending the reach of the Living Water Project.
The Case of Elefon
In October 2001, GOD revealed to our pioneer; Pastor Sinmi Alao, by divine revelation, a pathway to a village.
“I was on a mission so I contacted a brethren in the Mission back home, whom the LORD guided through the description given to locate the Elefon community”, she narrates.
We spoke with the elders of the community and by GOD’s grace, we began working towards digging and commissioning of a solar-powered borehole for the community which prior to our arrival struggled to get water. The execution of the Living Water Project in Elefon wasn’t void of difficulties. We faced several challenges especially due to the bad road leading to the community. Mobility in the community is primarily by motorcycle and boots.
Elefon community is located between the river banks of Osun and Oyo state and despite the prevailing religion of Islam in the community, we were able to convert the people through the help of the Holy Spirit. GOD clearly placed His hand upon the community as the village head commented that GOD sent a young man who stated; “GOD will bring good news to the village through a mission”, twenty (20) days after our arrival.
From the men’s shouts of jubilation to the women’s dancing and the glee of little children, it is with great joy that we can attest to the power of GOD moving as we extend hope to such communities.
Testimonial
Ogun was a community with a two-foot in-road and all Islamic population. It was the first time we would meet an Islamic generationally bound settlement where the community was from the same family lineage and forbidden from exiting the village. A man raised his entire clan for Islam as a closed society through monitoring and Islamic faith-based restrictions.
One of the breakthroughs we had for this community was the provision of edible drinking water in 2015. God had helped us install a borehole for the community. The people started responding to development and civilized promptings, enabling us to win their trust and give them The Gospel of Jesus. Although at the beginning it was a very vicious fight. The Chief of the village who was also the grandfather/ the great grandfather of most of the village’s occupants, was very opposed to us until He knew that we were interested in fostering development and advancing His community. He was very opposed to us speaking about our faith and unfortunately had died by the time the water project was completed.
The exciting thing is that not long after the borehole started functioning and gave water to this community, they started contributing to fuel the generating plant. When the generator became faulty, they didn’t contact the mission but on their own contributed to purchase a new one. If you ever have the opportunity to travel into the in lands of Olorunda area in Ibadan and you find your way to Ogarun, in that case, you will be surprised by what this former two feet inroad village has metamorphosed. You can count not less than five churched in and around Ogarun.
Ogarun is also a diverse community with people buying lands to build houses. Although there is still no school in the immediate neighborhood, a road to a nearby school is plyed by buses and bikes.
