By : Eric Walters – author’s website
Published by :Random House of Canada Limited
Genre: Children’s Fiction
A drought has settled in the area around the orphanage where Boniface lives. There are long line-ups at the tiny spring where all the local people get their water, and suddenly the orphans are pushed to the back of the line, unwelcome. Boniface’s houseparent, Henry, tells him that the people were mean out of fear–they feared there would not be enough water for their families. When the building of the orphanage’s well is completed, Boniface has an idea to help the villagers. A lovely story of kindness and heart, this story shows that, through compassion and understanding, true generosity can spring from unexpected places.
Although this is a story for children, I couldn’t resist wanting to read it when I saw it on NetGalley (from where I received it in exchange for a review).
I was not disappointed. It is a sweet story with a very powerful social message and makes a wonderful moral lesson for children. The illustrations too are beautiful.
The story is based on the situation that the author, Eric Walters, has encountered in Kenya where he now works to bring water to the farmers.
“You did not just give us water, you gave us life.” These words were spoken to Eric by an elder as they stood together at the dedication of one of our water projects. Perhaps no words have ever had such a profound effect on Eric.
The land is fertile and the people capable farmers who are willing to work hard to raise crops. However almost all agriculture in Kenya is dependent upon the cycle of rain and the capacity to store water between the rainy seasons. The ability to raise food and become self-sufficient is directly connected to the ability to have water for crops. Providing a stable source of water – for drinking, to water livestock, to irrigate crops – is the very heart of prosperity. Read more about the Water Projects on Creation Of Hope.
I would recommend this book to children and adults – so that they can know more about the pressing problem of water shortage that farmers in Kenya face.