I’m sure by now you have been wondering what the Watergate Scandal has to do with our work in Tanzania. The answer: nothing.
If you’ve been following our blog in hopes of learning more about the Watergate Scandal of the 1970s, I apologize for the confusion, but please note the very significant space between “Water” and “Gate”.
In October 2010, our pastor at The Fellowship at Bend, Loren Anderson, spoke about the restoration of the gates of Jerusalem as recorded in the book of Nehemiah. You can listen to the message here: Restoring the Gates – Nehemiah 3
Nehemiah 3:26 says, “After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower.” 
The Water Gate was Jerusalem’s gate through which water was carried into the ritual bath area of the city. The gate symbolizes God’s Word. In John 15:3, Jesus says, “Already you are clean, because of the word that I have spoken to you.” God’s Word washes us clean, purifies our hearts, and shows us the way in which we should go. We were thinking about this teaching in Nehemiah and what we’re headed out to do, and how the dam itself is like a water gate. We were inspired by the connection between the power of water that creates electricity and the power of God’s word that washes us clean like water. The Tanzania Grace Bible Institute in Mumba exists to teach God’s Word to pastors so they can teach God’s Word to others. These pastors wash people with the water of God’s Word. We are going to Mumba to provide the campus with electricity through the power generated by water.
As we turned these concepts over in our minds, we came up with our blog title, and the slogan that reminds us of the life-giving Word of God that we’re helping to spread in rural Tanzania: “The Water Gate – bringing the power of water to life in rural Tanzania.”
The Water Gate 