Malawi Floods: Waiting for the Unknown
February 16, 2015
Within days Water Missions International was on the scene, equipped and ready to help. With roads and bridges out, the progress has been slow, but in areas like Chikwawa and Nsanje a newfound hope is beginning to flow. The WMI Malawi team has seven safe water installations completed and operational, and one additional system scheduled to be complete by the end of the week, so long as the weather cooperates. The eight safe water systems, capable of providing safe water to 75,000 people, are only the beginning of what Water Missions hopes to provide. The eight displacement camps being served consist of anywhere from 500 to 7,000 people, all of whom are living in tents.“They were finding people everywhere: in deep water in their homes, in schools, on boats, running to higher ground. Some had climbed into trees and waited there, for three or four days, for the water to go down,” Nixon said as he described the danger of the situation. “There were people with water up to their necks. Helicopters would hover over and drop ropes. People tried to cling on but some fell off and were taken by the river. Now they are being asked to sit and wait for the unknown.”
The water is receding, the damage is being assessed, and as NGOs work to meet the urgent needs, people are beginning to look to the future. The longer people live without safe water the greater the risk of cholera outbreaks. The Ministry of Health in Malawi has confirmed 20 cases of cholera in the region of Nsanje, all of which are located outside the displacement camps. The presence of cholera makes the need for safe water even more urgent. With this higher risk of disease, limited security, and slow progress, the outlook is a difficult one to accept. For the 10 people on Nixon’s team, this is the time to bring hope through safe water to this region. Even though the clock is ticking and obstacles are many, the Water Missions International family remains hopeful. Together we are working to bring joy and relief to this hurting nation. Join us in prayer for our team on the ground and the people of Malawi. As they step into the unknown, our hope is that the nation will continue to look with confidence towards the future and restoration of the beautiful country they call home.
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