The village well in Datcha, Togo (West Africa) reflects an inspiring story of hope. For many years, the villagers had longed for a well of their own. Each day, they had to walk two to five kilometers to nearby villages to gather water. While they lacked the resources to construct a well themselves, what they did have was an abiding hope that one day their need would be met.
In 2015, a seminarian from that village, Fr. Philippe Neri Tchalou, OSB, shared the village’s need and hope with me. Two years later, I had connected with the Society of African Missions priests in Togo, who agreed to coordinate the project, and with the Rich in Mercy Institute in Pennsylvania, which served as the fiscal sponsor. As the lead fundraiser, I sent a few tentative emails, not knowing what to expect.
Once he heard about the project, Fr. Damian Dietlein, OSB, an emeritus faculty member of Saint Meinrad, began to share the news far and wide. Within days, we had the funds for the well. As the story began to spread further through the Saint Meinrad community and beyond, many more people joined in our efforts. Over the next five years, we provided community latrines, classrooms for the village school, a kindergarten, and an agricultural training center. The goodness and compassion of all those involved with this project left its mark on me, giving me a deeper sense of gratitude and a renewed spirit of hope.
Kimberly Baker, Associate Professor of Church History, Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology