Loch thirsty for African aid
An inspiration: Father Joseph Abutu has inspired parishioners at the St Vincent’s Catholic Church in Loch. He is pictured here at the Loch Market, where more than $3100 was raised.
PARISHIONERS from St Vincent’s Catholic Church in Loch have launched a charitable website, with hopes of bringing fresh water to Africa.
Project Ochobo (www.projectochobo.org.au) – which was established to help the tiny Nigerian village from which it takes its name – was inspired by Father Joseph Abutu’s descriptions of daily life back home, and a feeling by the parishioners that something needed to be done.
The most pressing need is for a fresh source of water to be established. At the moment villagers walk for miles to collect water that is dirty and liable to cause illness.
According to parishioner Dianne Stewart, Father Joseph, who arrived in Australia in recent months and will stay for three years, has touched people with his “humility and faith” – and been a source of inspiration for the charity.
“Sincerity, faith and beauty just ooze out of him. He’s such a charismatic person and he’s such a lovely fellow. He’s rather quiet, but he’s very intelligent and very astute with his plans,” she said.
“He softens hard hearts.”
Dianne said that on Mother’s Day in Leongatha, Father Joseph asked the parishioners whether Jesus was a man or a woman.
“Everybody sat up very straight and very quiet and listened to what he said. He said that the best love he had when he was growing up came from his mother. He knows Jesus is love, so he saw Jesus through his mother,” she said.
“He says a lot of things that we can relate to, that’s why a lot of people have taken him to their hearts. We saw a lot of good in him from the very beginning.”
Dianne described the charity as a “wonderful thing” but could not say what it might achieve or how long it would be around for.
“Father Joseph will be around for three years. Can we do enough in the three years to make Ochobo sustainable and so we’re not needed anymore?” she asked.
“We really need to make a contribution that is sustainable and lasting.”
The charity has so far raised about $3500 for Ochobo, with more than $3100 coming from two Loch markets. Six hundred dollars has already been despatched for the purchase of a mass box for the village church, St Michael’s Catholic Church.
The mass box contains the vestments worn by priests during services, along with other essential items like the chalice and candlesticks.
A simple life: schoolchildren in Ochobo have been well-supported, but need fresh water.
Dianne said the members of the Project Ochobo team were now committed to providing a sustainable, effective water supply for the village.
“The village has no fresh running water and only intermittent power supplies which makes regular use of refrigeration and computers impossible and therefore there are only very basic educational resources for the village’s children,” she said.
“Although Bishop Michael Ekwoyi Apochi has made commendable efforts to pump water to tanks, the dry season remains very challenging. Villagers need to walk some kilometres to collect water from wells.
“As the season continues, wells dry up and others become polluted. Some people become immune and cope, but disease remains a problem to others. Many people suffer from typhoid, cholera and dysentery. Those sick villagers and the elderly are unable to walk to collect water.”
Project Ochobo members have tentative plans for a car rally in October, with hopes of raising more than $1000. Dianne said the car rally would be something “different”, with parishioners carrying buckets of water to symbolise the long walk Ochobo’s villagers take each day with their water rations.
If the charity is successful in its endeavours, it’s a walk that may become a thing of the past.
The group will have a stall at the Loch Food and Wine Festival on Sunday, June 10 to promote the project.
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