COLORADO CITY
Every year, 4-5 million children die of dehydration. One in nine people in the world have no access to clean drinking water. In Africa, every year, people spend 40 billion hours walking to the nearest source of clean water. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Cooper Brezenski, age 13, not only knows these facts and more, it is in his heart to do something about it. Cooper plans to collect enough aluminum cans, shovel walks, recycle sneakers, and do whatever else a 13-year-old can do to drill a well in Africa. The project, sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world since 1970, says the well, that will quench the thirst of 500 people, can be built for $10,000.
Cooper is the oldest of four children. His parents, Adam and Somer, home school their children and attend Valley Community Church. Adam works at the Safeway in Walsenburg and both wholeheartedly support their oldest son’s desire to drill a well in South Sudan, Africa.
A well provides much more than clean water to drink. It is also used for the livestock, cooking, drinking, and bathing. A well becomes almost a community center and often a church follows a well; people not only get water to drink but also get an opportunity to experience the Living Water provided by Jesus Christ.
Samaritan’s Purse not only gets the well operational, but teaches the people how to sustain the well and keep it providing water for many years.
Many of you may know of Samaritan’s Purse. The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) gives a clear picture of God’s desire for us to help those in desperate need wherever we find them. After describing how the Samaritan rescued a hurting man whom others had passed by, Jesus told His hearers, “Go and do likewise.”
For over 50 years, Samaritan’s Purse has done their utmost to follow Christ’s command by going to the aid of the world’s poor, sick, and suffering.
They are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ. This, in turn, earns them a hearing for the Gospel, the Good News of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Bob Pierce was the original founder of Samaritan’s Purse in 1970. The reins have since been turned over to Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, after Pierce died of Leukemia in 1978.
An agency that is a watch dog over charity organizations, called Charity Watch, gives the organization an A-, indicating a charity run with integrity.
When asked what he wanted people to remember about this story, Cooper said, “I really want to drill a well in Africa.” Then he threw another fact at me. “There are about 5,500 people in the valley,” he shared.
“Everyone would only need to give $2 to provide a well for 500 people.”
Cooper has already raised about $1600. That money is in the care of the Valley Community Church. If you are moved to help Cooper drill this well, you can mail donations to the Valley Community Church, PO Box 20407, Colorado City, CO, 81019. Or you can mail them to Cooper Brezenski, PO Box 19104, Colorado City, CO 81019. Be sure and note in the memo section of the check, “Cooper’s Project.”
This is not Cooper’s first project. Last year he sent some Bibles and chickens to a third world destination.
He hopes enough people will share his passion for the project to make the water well a reality by Easter of this year.
Cooper, a 7th grader, shared one more fact as we neared the end of our time together. ‘Many children don’t have time to go to school,” he said, “because they have to spend so much time walking to get clean water.”
Cooper would like to change that hopeless picture for 500 people, and is inviting you to help.
Cooper will be one of the speakers at the April 29 Mission Conference at the Valley Community Church.
The event with dinner and speakers will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Steve Manning will be the featured speaker at the regular Valley Community church service on Sunday, April 30.