A boy drawing water from a puddle. Women who spend up to 3.5 hours walking to a well. These are images from Tanzania, presented to us by Sister Cecylia Bachalska. In our daily lives, do we appreciate the immense joy of clean tap water?
1. How long have you been working in Tanzania? What do you do on a daily basis?
I arrived in Tanzania in December 2017. I was assigned to our mission in Dar es Salaam, the former capital of Tanzania. I serve in the Tandale parish, which is run by the White Fathers, the Missionaries of Africa. I’m a nurse by profession, so one of my daily activities is ministering to the sick. We have a Good Samaritan group in the parish, and together we visit the sick in their homes. We bring them the Blessed Sacrament and notify the priests if anyone would like to receive the sacrament of confession.
2. What is the most difficult part of missionary work?
For me, the biggest challenge is that we’re never truly "at home" anywhere. When I look at my suitcases here in Tanzania, I’m reminded that I’m just a guest - a temporary resident. I can’t say that I fully understand the local culture, or that I speak perfect Swahili. We’re like "God’s gypsies" - we come, we serve, and then we move on. We’re just passing through. That reality has both its advantages and disadvantages. This kind of service requires a great deal of humility. As missionaries, we can't assume we know everything or impose our own solutions. We have to listen, observe, and ask questions. That’s the essence of a true missionary approach.
3. Is there a rule or principle you follow in your missionary work that you never break?
For me, the most important principle is this: before I go out to serve - whether it’s visiting the sick or meeting women on the street - I always spend time with the Lord. I would never dare to go without first meeting Him in prayer. When I pray and ask to recognize His presence, I can see how He works, how He guides me, and how He opens my eyes and ears to the needs of others. So this is the principle I never break: before going to another person, first meet the Lord in prayer - and then allow Him to act through you and lead the way.
4. During your missionary experience, have you encountered the problem of water scarcity?
Yes, absolutely. There was a time in my life when I worked in Mwanga, near the city of Singida. I managed a large clinic there. People often came in with skin conditions - sores and pus-filled blisters - and I began to wonder what the cause might be, since it affected both children and adults. Many children also suffered from intestinal worms - commonly called "dirty hands disease." After speaking with patients and the hospital staff, I discovered the root cause: lack of access to clean water.
People lived far from any well or drinking water source, so they used water very sparingly. For example, the same water used for washing would be reused to clean floors or water trees. I began observing daily life and noticed that even before dawn - around 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. - women were already on their way to fetch water. When I went to the hospital at around 7:30 a.m., I would see them returning with full buckets. I could only imagine how far they had walked.
5. Could the Sisters have done anything to change the situation of these people?
After thoroughly considering the problem among ourselves and discussing it with the village leaders, we wrote a request to an organization, asking for a well to be dug for the people in our village. After some time, I began to see improvements in our hospital - in this large clinic. Women were washing their children more often, the children had fewer infections, and skin diseases became less common. I also noticed that women and children had cleaner clothes. As a nurse, these changes were very noticeable to me. I also felt sorry for these people because, without access to water, they were spending a lot of money on medications and treating illnesses that were directly related to the lack of clean water. I realized that the first and most important remedy was access to water - and the proximity of a well. I even noticed that certain traditions began to change. It wasn't just women going to fetch water anymore - I saw men too, carrying large plastic jugs and transporting water on bicycles. For me, it was a visible and meaningful change.
6. Do you remember any situation related to the lack of water that really moved you?
Yes, I remember one experience that deeply affected me. One day - I think it was a Sunday afternoon - I went for a walk. In the distance, I saw some boys herding cows and goats. And right in front of me, I saw a small boy holding a metal can. He was scooping dirty water from a puddle on the road. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. When I approached him and started talking to him, he told me he was collecting the water for his household. They would use it for washing and other daily needs, because they didn’t have access to clean water.
That image stayed with me — the boy’s face, how he was dressed — it’s etched in my memory. I thought to myself: it’s unthinkable that someone should have to draw water from a roadside puddle. There are places in the world - right here in Africa, in Tanzania - where people are truly in need of water. It’s a beautiful gift. People deeply appreciate water. They even say that when it rains, it’s a blessing - God is blessing them, because they know there will be water, food, and they will be able to wash their clothes. Truly, water is a blessing.
Photo: Jakub Kołodyński, Misja Tandale Foundation
