“You are not forgotten, and we hope this water will make your life easier.”

Petra Schürmann, last December you organized a religious music concert for a fundraising campaign in your parish of Börger, Germany. What was the goal of this project?

Petra Schürmann: First of all, this fundraising concert was not organized by me alone; it was a collective action of the parish pastoral council and the economic affairs council, with the collaboration and support of all participating musical groups. Furthermore, these “Advent Sounds” (Adventsklänge) were held for the second time already at St. Jodokus Church in Börger, with the following objectives: the promotion of social or ecclesial initiatives, raising public awareness for certain causes, and community engagement through culture and music.

However, from the beginning of the planning, the “Advent Sounds 2025” were placed under a single slogan: “Together for Clean Water.” It was a sign of charity and hope for a region in Cameroon that needs our support. The idea was to offer families and villagers a better quality of life through the construction of a well, in order to sustainably improve the local situation through practical support. Our initial goal was to fund a single well for one village in Cameroon. The overwhelming generosity of the donors made a small miracle come true: we did not only raise the 2,500 euros needed for one well, but, moved by the local living conditions in Cameroon, people gave more than 15,000 euros. A true Christmas miracle.

Where did you get the inspiration to collect funds for the construction of wells in Cameroon?

The inspiration to build a well in Cameroon was born in Ngoya, at a formation house of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in Cameroon, which we visited in May 2025 during a trip by a small German delegation. One morning, we were standing in front of this single well, in the courtyard of this formation house for future priests, and we witnessed how the villagers supplied themselves with fresh drinking water. We, who until then never worried about water because we only need to turn on the tap in the kitchen or bathroom, became unexpected witnesses to the effort required by many families in Cameroon to fetch water. It suddenly became clear to us that drinking water is not a given. It was this particular moment, this change of perspective that pushed us to reflect, and the desire to offer quality of life where water means hope.

How did the members of your community react to this call?

Many members of the parish were touched by the idea that this project could help in a very concrete way. Knowing that clean water changes lives motivated an entire parish community to take responsibility together and support this process. Of course, there were also some critical views, but all this was achieved through transparent information, social media, a WhatsApp call from all participants, and thanks to Father Gerd Hemken. As the mission procurator, he was also able to describe the situation on the ground very vividly during a Mass. It should also be noted that Börger is the birthplace of Father Gerd Hemken; therefore, this appeal for donations had a familiar and known face. This certainly contributed positively to the willingness to give.

Was this the first time you launched such a significant action in favor of the mission of the Priests of the Sacred Heart?

For our parish, it was the first time we carried out such an important action in favor of the mission of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. Seeing that we can concretely change lives and offer people access to clean water through our commitment has deeply moved and motivated us all. It is precisely for this reason that we realized how much we can achieve together and how important this commitment is for missionary work.

This action has certainly strengthened the ties between you, your parish, and the Mission Procuration of the Priests of the Sacred Heart.

We are very much looking forward to being informed in the future about the progress of the well construction in the different villages. It is nice to know that we can follow the progress of the projects and accompany the local people a bit on their journey.

Do you have a message for those who, thanks to your commitment, will now have access to clean drinking water?

We would like to say to all those who, thanks to our commitment, will now have access to clean drinking water: you are not forgotten, and we are thinking of you. We hope that this water will make your life easier, bring health and joy, and give you new strength every day. Our wish is that you feel that people far away are thinking of you and supporting you, across all borders, and that we are all, in prayer, always united for each other and with each other.