Dear Friends,


We are in very exciting times!  Our biggest year so far has been 2023 with thirty wells drilled.  Yet, despite what the news is saying about political unrest in Niger, this year is turning out to be very successful!  It is early June of 2024 and we have already completed sixteen wells.


Yes, the U.S. Military has been asked to leave Niger, but Wells 4 Wellness has been welcomed at every village.  Also, our onsite teams are either natives or have lived in Niger for decades and are not viewed as outsiders.


Our onsite teams in Niamey and Maradi are determined, efficient, & passionate. You have been kind & faithful with your generosity. So, together we have been able to bless a growing number of people with fresh clean water!

THE TOIL THIS YOUNG GIRL ENDURES EVERYDAY,

WILL NOW BE WORTHWHILE!

This girl is gathering water from a well at the Kaina School. CLICK HERE to see more photos.

EQUIPMENT

Our aging equipment has seen a lot of action and our first truck has served us for over 300,000 miles. It is still functioning, but now is going to be used exclusively for local drill sites. Thankfully, a friend of our Niamey team leader (Neal Childs) was selling a great truck at a great price, so we bought it in April. The new truck will be able to better meet our needs in the extremely remote villages.

CONTINUING THE GOOD NEWS

Our team leader in Maradi (Koyejo Amori) received a truck from Wells 4 Wellness.


Until this year, Koyejo had always used his personal vehicle to get from drill site to drill site. So, when a good truck became available in his region, we were so thankful for the opportunity to bless him & his team with a truck.

INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEERS

Wells 4 Wellness has had years of incredible volunteers working endlessly to bring us to this point. We have kept costs low by working out of a small space in my home and we have prolonged hiring a full-time employee. I am so thankful we did, because it kept our organization lean and strong through crazy times. When the 2020 lock-downs began, I saw many of my friends at other nonprofits barely able to make ends meet and it broke my heart to see some of them shut their doors.


As I said in the beginning of this letter, 2023 was our biggest year for drilling wells, but it was a tough year for me personally. Many of you know my husband Bob tested positive for Hairy Cell Leukemia which led to many hospital stays, doctor visits, and sleepless nights being his main caregiver. However, my family lives close by and were able to lovingly support us. Our church friends helped every step of the way and made sure to still include us. Yet, I was tired.


The Board and I have been looking & praying for the missing person to our team for years. I have interviewed many people, but my heart kept going back to my sons. I presented the idea to Ryan & Willie multiple times, and every time they said no. Yet, Bob recovered and is now cancer-free!

OUR FIRST FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE!

Early 2024, I was at the point of burnout and I was starting to wonder about the future of Wells 4 Wellness. So, in one last ditch effort, I asked our youngest son Willie to come on board. He said, “Yes mom, I think it’s time.”

Our youngest son, Willie, became the first Wells 4 Wellness, full-time employee in April of 2024. The Board & I know that we made a wise and strategic decision in adding Willie to the team! Over the years, He has shown his passion for the ministry by volunteering many of his technical & creative skills. Just to give you an example, he produced our documentary (BOTTOM OF THE LIST) in 2020. Since Willie started working full-time for Wells 4 Wellness, he designed a new website, new brochures, new business cards, built a new database, transferred our giving platform to a smooth interface that you will love that also interfaces automatically with QuickBooks.


Willie & I have also been going through years of photos/videos of our wells and have been categorizing them on our new website. We have been chatting through the memories and adding background stories to accompany the images. In fact, the “WELLS” section on the website is the most dynamic page, because we are constantly updating it.


It has been incredible to see the things Willie has accomplished in such a short amount of time. He has tried really hard to keep the same feel Wells 4 Wellness has always had, while offering a fresh look and approach. This new season of navigating change has been so much work, but it has also been so much fun. We hope that you will extend patience to us as we traverse new ground and that you celebrate with us all that God has been doing. Many doors have been opening to new opportunities to provide fresh, clean water to the people of Niger.


If you would like to learn more about Willie and our Wells 4 Wellness team, please take a few minutes to visit our “ABOUT US” page.

THANK YOU!

We are always grateful for your support, but we would also like to ask you for your prayers. My husband Bob, Willie, & I will be embarking on an eleven State tour across the country. We will be speaking in various cities and showing the documentary. We are also hoping to have meals & cups of coffee with many of you. I would love to introduce you to Willie in person if you live close to where we will be this summer. Also, if you are able to make it to any of the below dates, you and your friends/family are more than welcome to join in. Thank you!


Sincerely,

Pat Herath & The Board

Founder - Well 4 Wellness 

Wells4wellness.com 

309-236-1301 

Wells4wellness@gmail.com

SUMMER SCHEDULE


June 16th - Salt Lake City, UT

Wells 4 Wellness send off prayer

Risen Life Church - 10:30am Service

2780 E 3900 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84124


June 19th - Fort Collins, CO


June 20th - Hays, KS


June 21st - Tulsa, OK


June 23rd - St. Louis, MO

Wells 4 Wellness Presentation & Movie Showing

Sutter Presbyterian Church - 9am Service

3500 Fee Fee Rd, Bridgeton, MO 63044


June 24th - Central Illinois


June 25th - Northern Illinois


June 26th - Milwaukee, WI


June 27th - Moline, IL


June 29th - Wells 4 Wellness Presentation & Movie Showing

River City Church - 6pm

2305 7th Ave, Moline, IL 61265

(download flyer)


June 30th - Wells 4 Wellness Presentation

Calvary Church - 8:30am & 10:30am Services

4700 53rd St, Moline, IL 61265


June 30th - Wells 4 Wellness Presentation & Movie Showing

Christ Church of the Quad Cities - 6pm Service

403 3rd St, Colona, IL 61241


July 2nd: WDLM Radio Interview - 8:30am Coal Valley, IL (QC Area)


July 3rd - Minnesota


July 6th - Fargo, ND


July 8th - Rapid City, SD


July 10th - Wells 4 Wellness Presentation & Movie Showing

Journey Church - 6:30pm Service

1981 Centre Street

Rapid City, SD 57703


July 13th - Return to Salt Lake City, UT

www.WELLS4WELLNESS.com