DIRECTORS IN THE U.S.A.
Pat Herath...is the Founder & Executive Director of Wells 4 Wellness and is known for limitless energy! In fact, she has been described as a human magnet that draws people together.
Pat inspires & ignites people with a drive they never knew they had. When she speaks of her vision and experiences, most people think she is crazy or stretching the truth, but the Wells 4 Wellness family has always believed she is "on" to something in a really big way! When Pat told her friends and family that she was going to drill wells in one of the driest, one of the poorest, and one of the most undeveloped places in the world; most laughed, some paused, and a very few became faithful monthly donors. She remembers you. Just like the mustard tree, our small "seed" of donors stayed committed to growth and continued to support the God-given mission of bringing fresh, clean drinking water to the people of Niger! One year we would get a well, and another year we would get nothing; yet the drill team, the people in Niger, the board, the donors, and Pat were never going to quit. We all felt drawn to something greater than ourselves. We knew that trials would come and drilling wells would be tough, but the people in Niger struggling to find drinkable water everyday had it worse. So, the team struggled on and on, which led us to taking the option of "Giving-Up" off the table. Pat, and her husband Bob, have seen contaminated water steal the health and livelihoods of so many people and they realized they had to do something! So, they formed a board and started Wells 4 Wellness with the impossible goal of providing thirty-three wells, but because of blessings from above, the team, and people like you... we have surpassed that goal multiple times. Bob & Pat married in 1972, have two sons, two daughter-in-laws, and four adult grandchildren. Wanna learn more about Pat's story? CLICK HERE |
Willie Herath...is Operations Director and Pat’s youngest son.
Willie has volunteered time, talent, resources and energy for Wells 4 Wellness since the very beginning. His wife, Andrea, is also very passionate about providing fresh, clean water to communities in Niger that when the first well was drilled, Andrea committed her family to be the first monthly donors to Wells 4 Wellness. As Director of Operations, Willie wears many hats. His responsibilities include (but are not limited to) all technology and online platforms, website development and management, financial reporting, fundraising, strategic planning, photo/video content, as well as tax/legal, freeing Pat up to do what she does best. Willie also has a passion for filmmaking and produced our 18 minute short film documentary called BOTTOM OF THE LIST. After high school, Willie lived just outside of Bordeaux, France as a Rotary exchange student. Knowing French has been useful for Willie given that Niger is a former French colony. Volunteering for Wells 4 Wellness over a period of 14 years, Willie became our first paid employee in April of 2024. Willie & Andrea married in 2001 and have two children. They have a burning desire to share the Gospel and live in Salt Lake City, Utah... which happens to be the "10/40" window of the USA. |
DIRECTORS IN NIGER, AFRICA
Koyejo Amori...loves God and loves people. He lives in Maradi and is our Operations Director in that region.
Koyejo and his wife Lola founded Abraham’s Place in Maradi which is a discipleship home that houses dozens of children. In 2021, they opened a second Abraham's Place in Boundou Douba, north of Maradi city limits. Koyejo & Lola have served under the leadership of Ron & Jerry Childs of Vie Abondante since 1994. Koyejo has so much on his plate, yet still finds time to volunteer for Wells 4 Wellness bringing water to those in need. Somehow he also works full-time as the Principal of the Vie Abondante Elementary School in Maradi. Lola & Koyejo are originally from Nigeria. They have three children, a son-in-law, and two granddaughters. On top of Koyejo's many achievements, he is also a translator and is featured in our documentary at: 12 minutes and 55 seconds. |
Neal Childs...wears so many hats, like being our Operations Director in Niamey, but his main focus is the Gospel.
Neal and his wife Danette have such loving & compassionate hearts for reaching the unreached that they founded RUN International (Reaching Unreached Nations) and have been sharing the love of Jesus in Niger since 1998. Neal's father & mother, Ron & Jerry Childs have been life-long friends of Bob & Pat Herath and instrumental partners of Wells 4 Wellness. So, in August of 2021, when Neal's father Ron went to be with the Lord, Neal saw the void Ron had left behind. Neal graciously met the need and began volunteering his time and energy to help Wells 4 Wellness bring fresh, clean drinking water to communities he and his wife Danette have been serving. For years, Neal & Danette worked alongside his parents Ron & Jerry Childs expanding the Kingdom of God through a network of churches called Vie Abondante (Abundant Life). Neal & Danette have been married since 1989 and have 3 children, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, and 7 grandchildren. |
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Ron & Jerry Childs
...are life-long friends of Bob & Pat Herath. When they heard that Pat, the Founder of Wells 4 Wellness, was passionate about helping people gain access to fresh, clean drinking water, they convinced her to focus on Niger, Africa.
Ron & Jerry Childs with Pat, Willie, Ryan, & Bob Herath - Early '90s
At that point, Pat said "yes" and Ron & Jerry became the crucial onsite partners Wells 4 Wellness needed to meet the need. The Childs understood the culture and the necessity of clean water. Pat had a broken heart for the people she met through Ron & Jerry and the desire to do something about the problem. So, together with generous people like you, they grew the ministry to what it is today.
Ron & Jerry were called to share the love of Jesus Christ, so they moved to Benin City, Nigeria in August of 1977. Ron directed a Bible School and Jerry was at his side managing the office, and anything else that needed to be organized or facilitated to support the ministry.
Ron & Jerry took part in the Miracle Healing Crusades in the northern part of Nigeria which is predominantly Muslim. Their hearts were drawn to reaching the Islamic community for Jesus, so they moved North to Niger in 1993. Niger is a country that desperately needs the Gospel being a 98% Muslim country.
Planting church after church, the spirit of God moved like wildfire. Ron & Jerry were so moved by John 10:10 and the abundant life that comes through following Christ they named their ministry, Vie Abondante, which is French for Abundant Life.
At the time of Ron's passing in 2021, Vie Abondante had seventy plus churches, three discipleship Bible schools, two leadership Bible schools, two evening Bible schools in three different locations, two schools kindergarten through tenth grade, two children homes, and had been crucial in facilitating the drilling of approximately sixty-five in Niger while partnering with Wells 4 Wellness.
Jerry still lives full-time in Niamey, Niger and is an honored Matriarch that continues to deeply love and invest in Vie Abondante & Wells 4 Wellness.
Ron & Jerry were called to share the love of Jesus Christ, so they moved to Benin City, Nigeria in August of 1977. Ron directed a Bible School and Jerry was at his side managing the office, and anything else that needed to be organized or facilitated to support the ministry.
Ron & Jerry took part in the Miracle Healing Crusades in the northern part of Nigeria which is predominantly Muslim. Their hearts were drawn to reaching the Islamic community for Jesus, so they moved North to Niger in 1993. Niger is a country that desperately needs the Gospel being a 98% Muslim country.
Planting church after church, the spirit of God moved like wildfire. Ron & Jerry were so moved by John 10:10 and the abundant life that comes through following Christ they named their ministry, Vie Abondante, which is French for Abundant Life.
At the time of Ron's passing in 2021, Vie Abondante had seventy plus churches, three discipleship Bible schools, two leadership Bible schools, two evening Bible schools in three different locations, two schools kindergarten through tenth grade, two children homes, and had been crucial in facilitating the drilling of approximately sixty-five in Niger while partnering with Wells 4 Wellness.
Jerry still lives full-time in Niamey, Niger and is an honored Matriarch that continues to deeply love and invest in Vie Abondante & Wells 4 Wellness.
THE BOARD
Diane Borders... is our Wells 4 Wellness Board Secretary & Presenter/Ambassador, Diane lives in Moline, IL with her husband, Curt and has a passion for people. They have 5 children and 14 grandchildren. Diane resigned after 30 years in youth ministry to stay home with grandkids which gives her a great opportunity to serve humanity in amazing organizations like Wells 4 Wellness and ‘Love for L’Allemand’, Haiti.
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Ann Marx...is not only a Wells 4 Wellness Board Member, but she is a retired social worker with an Illinois State University degree in sociology. With an unquenchable thirst to learn about diverse cultures, she traveled to Southeast Asia in 2007. There, she saw the difference clean water sources made in the communities she visited. In 2016, she had the opportunity to visit Niger, Africa, where she saw firsthand the greatest need for clean water. When she’s not volunteering for Wells 4 Wellness, she can be found mentoring children. And she makes a mean apple pie!
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Kristi Siwajek...has many years of work experience with nonprofit organizations so the Wells 4 Wellness Board seemed like a perfect fit. She worked for Children International for twenty years, serving people in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States through a wide range of programs in health, education, and community development (including water wells). Kristi has an MBA from Drake University, and a BA in International Management and Spanish from Central College. She looks forward to furthering the mission of Wells 4 Wellness.
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Gary Siwajek...is also a Wells 4 Wellness Board Member and is married to Kristi. Gary has a very strong record as a Sr. Account Executive that provides highly engineered electrical and hydraulic solutions to better heat, cool, connect, and feed a growing population. Gary has diverse experience in every facet of industrial products from design, production, quality, through sales and logistics. Gary’s extensive travel to third-world countries has given him great drive and appreciation for our cause. He has a dual MBA in marketing and finance, and always brings energy and creativity to our cause.
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ADVISORY MEMBERS
Robert Herath, DVM...married his wife, Pat, in 1972. Together, they founded the Andalusia Road Veterinary Centre in Milan, Illinois in 1976. Besides working full-time at the veterinary centre, he encourages Pat in all things Wells 4 Wellness!
Dr. Herath entered a career in Veterinary Medicine because he loves to help pets who cannot help themselves. Now that same passion spills out in an effort to help provide clean, safe drinking water for people and groups who need it the most. Many of the gallery photos are taken by Dr. Bob! |
Greg Swanson...is the Utilities General Manager for the City of Moline, where he has worked in the public water supply field since 1977. His work experience encompasses a broad range of activities ranging from water treatment and distribution O&M to utility management and strategic planning. Greg serves on the boards of the Illinois Section of the American Water Works Association and Global Awareness Citizens. Greg is a strong advocate of public outreach efforts that promote water knowledge and appreciation and prompt action to address the many water challenges facing our world.
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David Pautsch...serves as a business advisor to Wells 4 Wellness. He uses a straight-forward approach, which keeps the organization focused on its major goal: to provide safe, clean drinking water to communities in Niger. Following his time with the US Army Band, he earned a marketing and communications degree at Virginia Tech. David has coordinated events for Luis Palau and currently owns L.W. Ramsey Advertising Agency in Davenport, Iowa. His organization, Thy Kingdom Come Ministries, sponsors the annual Quad Cities Prayer Breakfast.
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Kate McGovern...is a longtime leader, motivator, and teacher in women’s studies. She’s an experienced event planner and fundraiser. Her passion for Wells 4 Wellness inspires others to join the organization’s mission.
She and her husband, Tom, enjoy family and home, and nine grandchildren. |
