Toloha Banquet Success!

Posted by on Oct 31, 2014 in Clean Water, Fundraising, written by Lindsay | 0 comments

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Guests began to stream into the Arts Council gallery in downtown Kinston at 5:55pm on Saturday, October 25, 2014. They were met with the smiling faces of the Toloha Banquet greeters AND the people of Toloha. Over 40 photographs measuring over 1.5 feet and up to 4 feet in height lined the walls and tables of the hall.

“It is like they are here with us,” said Diane Spear as she shared about the ministry in Toloha.

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Those faces are not sullen and sad, but they are bursting with joy, laughter and excitement. There is now hope in Toloha. Water is literally gushing from the new pipe, and the people can barely get buckets under the flow quick enough. Thanks to the many generous donations over the past year equaling over $100,000, there is now water in Toloha, lots of water.

The people have worked together digging 8km of trench, laying pipe and covering it back up to keep it safe underground from the elements and animals. There is still work to be done to make the water clean and the system maintainable for the long term. But there is water in Toloha.

Daniel shared the story of his journey from Toloha and the experience of his return to see his villagers finally getting water!

Daniel shared the story of his journey from Toloha and the experience of his return to see his villagers finally getting water!

David Sawyer was our Master of Ceremonies for the night. He shared his heart and passion for Toloha.

David Sawyer was our Master of Ceremonies for the night. He shared his heart and passion for Toloha.

Our vice president, Katie Maloney shared a story about a special little girl that encompasses why Toloha Partnership exists.

Our vice president, Katie Maloney shared a story about a special little girl that encompasses why Toloha Partnership exists.

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Our engineer, Burt Rudolph, shared about what has happened and what is left to accomplish.

Our engineer, Burt Rudolph, shared about what has happened and what is left to accomplish.

At the 2nd Annual Toloha Partnership Banquet on Saturday, October 25, another $27,000 was raised to continue the work. This leaves a mere $43,000 left to raise to complete the water system renovation. Compared to where we started with $170,000 to raise just 1 year ago at our first banquet on November 9, 2013, the task at hand now seems like nickels and dimes. It is partly because of simple mathematics, but there is another reason this number is no longer scary. Faith. God has built our faith in a way that only a project like this can.

Seeing the money raised, the local community support in Kinston and the people of Toloha and the Tanzanian government working together is making God more and more real…tangibly real…as real as the water pouring from that pipe in Toloha. God is pouring out his blessing on us.

It is not just physical water that is washing over the land of Tanzania, but it is the living water. The Gospel is being spread through word, deed and relationships in Toloha and Kinston. God is showing us how literal his love can be by meeting our need and by fulfilling our thirst for him.

What an adventure this is! Thank you so much for coming along with us arm in arm, hand in hand. Keep up the good work!

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Thank you to all of our auction sponsors! The auction and raffle raised over $6,000!

Thank you to all of our auction sponsors! The auction and raffle raised over $6,000!

The beautiful photos of the banquet event are by Mary Rouse

The large photographs of the people of Toloha are by Josh Spear, Katie Malone and Ashely Rudolph

A huge heartfelt thank you to our many volunteers who worked to make this event happen, some who have spent months preparing for this night.

A huge heartfelt thank you to our many volunteers who worked to make this event happen, some who have spent months preparing for this night.

 

 

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