Clean, safe water is finally on its way to a community suffering from severe drought in Gulu, Uganda, thanks to an initiative organized by St Vladimir’s seminarians this past spring.
Back in April, over 100 community members and friends of St Vladimir’s Seminary attended an in-person rendition of Patriarch Abraham, a theatrical performance staged by seminarians and faculty on campus. The seminarians directed proceeds from the performance toward the construction of a new well in Gulu, the hometown of their seminary classmate Dn Richard Okello (M.Div., ‘24) and his family. Dn Richard’s wife, young children, and his entire community had been suffering from severe water shortages and accompanying health hazards due to recent regional droughts. The seminarians also set up a GoFundMe page, and in total more than $6,000 was raised, ensuring immediate construction of the much-needed new well in Gulu could begin.
In June, and back in Uganda following his graduation from St Vladimir’s Seminary, Dn Richard shared updates with the seminary community about the well’s progress.
“Finally, we reached clean and safe water from deep underground after a long labor of three days,” wrote Dn Richard, who added that well installation was completed shortly after.
“My own words are not enough to appreciate all of you from [my] heart for this life-saving initiative and the discussions we had together with my fellow seminarians, faculty, brothers, and sisters, who worked and put extra effort to make this possible!” he continued. “May our Heavenly Father, the Almighty God, yield the desires of your heart. Your action has touched people thousands of miles from you. Your love has reached them!”
May God preserve and protect Dn Richard, his family, and his community, and may the Lord abundantly bless all those whose generosity and love brought much-needed help to them!
