“The Lord will guide you always;
He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land…
You will be like a well-watered garden,
Like a spring whose waters never fail.”
(Isaiah 58:11)
Dick Chapin, Creator of Drip Irrigation
Dear Friends & Partners,
As we approach Father’s Day
this coming Sunday, the family of Dick Chapin will lay their father to
rest on Saturday in Watertown, NY. It is appropriate that Dick died at
home before going to his Heavenly Home – which I am sure will have a
large “drip irrigation garden!”
As the creator of drip irrigation, Dick died at the age of 96 and was basically active through his 9th decade of life. Those who are familiar with many of my reports, and references to him as the “Father of Drip Irrigation,”
know I highly esteemed him as a true “Kingdom Entrepreneur.” He was not
only a business entrepreneur and creative inventor, he was a deeply
dedicated Christian and churchman.
Dick outside the church where he was an active member
for most of his adult life.
 
Dick and me at his 95th birthday party, where he was presented
with a special "Drip Irrigation" Birthday Cake.
 
Dick with his son, Bill and daughter, Mary Westcott,
and with his Board Members and their wives.
Dick was a businessman in the
greenhouse industry. Like everyone in that field, he was faced with the
daunting daily challenge of hand watering thousands of seedlings and
flowers one plant at a time. It was labor-intensive and time-consuming –
which increased the cost of production. Dick thought to himself, “There must be a better way!”
He testifies that as he prayerfully
pondered this challenge, God gave him the idea for “drip irrigation.” He
thought about how God waters the plants of the earth so efficiently. He
does so, one drop of water at a time – which we call rain. So, through his “drip tubes” he imitated rain – controlling the amount, frequency and exact location for his “rain drops.”
As a result of his creation of drip
irrigation, he helped bring about one of the biggest paradigm shifts in
the greenhouse industry and farming. Today, all over America, Europe,
Israel and other developed countries, drip irrigation is the standard
for agriculture. Because of his invention, Dick started Chapin Watermatics
in 1960. Thereafter he shifted his emphasis from flowers in greenhouses
to the production of his “drip tape.” He personally traveled to over 40
countries promoting the sales and use of his drip irrigation systems.
It was my privilege to also travel to
Watertown, NY, to tour his company and watch the thousands of miles of
drip tape being produced around the clock. Because of his age, he sold
his company to Jain, an Indian company that is now one of the world
leaders in drip irrigation supplies.
 
Dick and me with one of the rolls of "drip tape" used all over the world.
I presented Dick with a plaque of honor, for being the "Father of Drip Irrigation"
and a special friend and partner of our ministry.
But, as a committed Christian with a
Great Commission perspective, Dick had a passionate desire to use his
drip irrigation to help the poor and hungry around the world in the name
of Christ. He started a non-profit Foundation known as Chapin Living Waters (CLW), of which I was a Board Member.
Through the sovereign networking of the Lord Jesus, God brought Dick
together with another Christian agricultural entrepreneur, Aart VanWingerden. He was the founder of Double Harvest (DH),
an agricultural ministry committed to helping the poor do better
farming. They combined their efforts to help feed hungry people in
underdeveloped countries. It was also my privilege to serve as a Board
Member for DH for a number of years.
God providentially connected me with
them in Haiti where they were experimenting with the “Bucket Drip
Irrigation System” – a smaller version of drip irrigation for the
backyard kitchen garden.
 After my time in Haiti I was going to Amsterdam, Netherlands, to attend the International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists (ICIE) that was sponsored by Dr. Billy Graham and The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ( BGEA). My brother had worked for many years for BGEA, and was then currently working for Franklin Graham and Samaritan’s Purse.
I contacted them about this “Bucket Drip System” that I had learned
about in Haiti. Franklin graciously invited both Aart VanWingerden and
Dick Chapin to come to Amsterdam to display their systems to the 10,000
“barefoot evangelists” who would be attending from all over the world.
After that two-week conference, Aart
and Dick were inundated with requests for these drip irrigation systems.
They asked me to help them network and distribute the systems wherever I
traveled. As a result, I began to teach drip irrigation gardening as a
part of my Pastors’ Conferences. I soon gained the nickname of the “drip
preacher” because I dripped sweat when I preached and taught the Word –
and then sweated as I taught drip irrigation!
While I did not have a background in
agriculture, greenhouses or drip irrigation, I had a life-long love of
nature and God’s magnificent world. But both Aart and Dick patiently
mentored me in the “basics.” So, I was very fortunate to have learned
what I know from these two master agricultural entrepreneurs. They
opened the significance of gardening to me from the Bible in a way I had
never seen it before – or been taught it in college, seminary or
graduate school. In spite of my lack of official training in
agriculture, I had the joy and privilege of learning from the masters!
A number of years ago, I had the joy
of traveling with Dick to Kenya and Ethiopia to set up drip irrigation
kits in diverse situations from tribal people to urbanites.
Today, these various drip irrigation kits have gone to over 150 countries of the world!
And I have had the joy of networking them in virtually every country of
the world where the Lord has led me for the last 3 decades – as you
will see in the following pictures.
THE EARLY 1980s
 
Teaching drip irrigation in Quiet Corner, India with Thomas Samuel,
and demonstrating the Bucket Drip Irrigation System
in Chennai, India with ECI and Bishop Ezra Saragunam.
Setting up a Bucket Drip System in Nepal
with Hanok Tamang.
Across the years, I have personally
seen the dramatic difference that drip irrigation has made in some of
the most dry and difficult places on earth. God has literally used drip
irrigation to help fulfill His promise to make the lives of people like a
“… well-watered garden” – even those living in a “… sun-scorched land,” like Haiti and Mali. This is partial fulfillment of the prophecy:
“The desert and the parched land will be glad, the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom. It will rejoice greatly and shout for joy” (Isa. 35:1-2).
 
Setting up Bucket Drip Irrigation Gardens in Haiti.
A larger "1/4 Acre Drip Irrigation System", being set up
in Chambrun, Haiti, for Pastor Esperandieu Pierre.
 
The results of drip irrigation!
 
A "Super Bucket Kit" being set up for Nehemiah Vision Ministry in Haiti,
and the now flourishing garden behind the Onaville Church we
recently built for earthquake Victims.
BAHAMAS
Another place that we have been
developing a greenhouse and large drip irrigation farm is in Abaco,
Bahamas. This is a partnership with both Bahamians and Haitians. And as
usual, we have set it up with drip irrigation equipment supplied by Chapin Living Waters.
 
Two of the Haitian workers setting out new vegetable plants
along the drip lines.
 
We purchased and shipped this machine to put down black plastic
mulch over the drip lines to retard weeding. Arie VanWingerden, our
Bahamas point-man, goes to Abaco regularly with me to oversee the project.
 
Arie discusses the garden with our Bahamian partner, Johnny Knowles,
who heads the project. A Haitian farmer helps to harvest the vegetables.
 
Another Haitian worker displays the beautiful cabbage produced using
drip irrigation,and Arie with some of our Bahamian and Haitian partners in Abaco.
MALI
 
A drip irrigation garden in Ahara Kabara, Mali,
and a Bucket Drip Irrigation Garden in Gao, Mali,
for a Bible Institute.
 
A small Bucket Drip System in Gao, Mali,
and a Drip System being set up in Bamako, Mali.
 
Professor Mohamed-Ibraham Yattara and his wife, Fatouma,
with their drip system and small greenhouse,
and with a Bucket Drip System for the Bible Seminary
in Bamako, Mali.
For many other pictures and reports, please click here to go to the web site of Chapin Living Waters to review some of their monthly newsletters, and to see their drip irrigation supplies.
The following pictures represent some of the countries I have
taught “spiritual farming” and “physical farming,” side-by-side through
drip irrigation …
ETHIOPIA
The Genesis Farm
in Ethiopia is one of the most fruitful and beautiful drip irrigation
farms with which I have ever been associated. Started by Aart
VanWingerden and his family through Double Harvest, much of the drip irrigation was supplied by Chapin Living Waters. Across
the years we have sent many of our national partners there for a month
of practical hands-on training in drip irrigation farming so they can
more quickly apply it back in their home countries.
KENYA
For many years we have set up various
drip irrigation gardens in Kenya. But in recent years we have
concentrated with our partner, Stakwell Yurenimo, who
lives and ministers among pastoral tribes like the Samburu and Turkana
in one of the hot and semi-desert regions of Northern Kenya.
 
Pastoralists become successful farmers.
SUDAN
South Sudan is the newest nation on
earth. But she has known nothing but over 3 decades of warfare and
genocide – perpetrated by the hostile Islamic regime in the north. As a
result, millions have died and millions more have been displaced.
Through the partnership of Double Harvest,
we have partnered in several large drip irrigation farm projects in Yei
and Juba, with much of the drip irrigation being supplied by Dick
Chapin. Sadly, these gardens and farms have been constantly interrupted
by renewed warfare and tribal in-fighting. But we continue to “…fight the good fight of the faith” there through spiritual and physical farming (I Tim. 6:12). We especially covet your prayers for this troubled nation!
 
Len VanWingerden, oldest son of Aart, helps to set up the first
Bucket Drip System in Yei.
GHANA
The West African country of Ghana has been one of our longest fields of involvement, primarily through our partner, Evangelist Yaw Asante. He
is truly a multi-talented “Kingdom Entrepreneur” with the ability to
build and farm. We hold Pastor’s Conferences there annually and drip
irrigation plays a crucial part – with the drip irrigation kits being
supplied by Chapin Living Waters.
 
Yaw with new vegetables to transplant in the
Bucket Drip Irrigation Demonstration Garden.
 
One of the large fields of vegetables under drip irrigation.
 
Teaching drip irrigation to pastors and evangelists
after a Leadership Conference ... spiritual farming
and physical farming go hand-in-hand in the Bible.
ZIMBABWE
Our two oldest partners in this beautiful but troubled country are Bishop Trevor Manhanga and Apostle Simon Mkolo.
It has been my joy to be in partnership with both of them for over 3
decades – beginning in the early 1980s’ right after Zimbabwe’s
independence. With both partners we have used various drip irrigation
initiatives from the very beginning as one of the means of enhancing
their ministries to the poor. And as always, Chapin Living Waters supplied the drip irrigation supplies.
Bishop Trevor stands next to one of his fields at the Victory Center
in Mutare, where there is a growing church and growing gardens,
side by side.
 
Drip irrigation gardens between the chicken houses!
 
Bishop Trevor at a small greenhouse we funded for their Bible College
in Harare. The greenhouse operates with drip irrigation, and helps
to provide food for the students.
 
A large 1/4 acre drip irrigation garden for the Ebenezer Bible College
in Hwanke, Zimbabwe. All of the students spend time in the
"academic classroom" and "garden classroom", raising
the vegetables they eat while attending school.
 
Herbert Mkwala and his wife, Margaret, are two more Kingdom Entrepreneurs
who have developed large drip irrigation gardens outside the city of Hwange.
A large drip irrigation garden for a large rural church
in Lupote, Zimbabwe that helps to provide food
for the church members.
ASIA
In addition to networking the Chapin
drip irrigation systems in Africa, I have done so in many of our
countries of involvement in India and Nepal. Most recently I have
concentrated on our partnerships with Dr. Suresh Rai, and his son, Johny in West Bengal, India, with Murli Menon in Coimbatore, and with Bishop Ezra Sargunam at Hope City, outside of Chennai. They each have made drip irrigation gardening a central part of their self-support efforts.
 
Teaching the nursing students at Holy Palace Hospital the
princples of drip irrigation, and demonstrating how plants
are watered one drop at a time.
 
The nurses fill the bucket with water to feed the plants,
and a prayer of dedication is offered for the newly established
drip irrigation garden.
Dr. Rai and some of his nursing students who are learning medicine
and gardening simultaneously.
 
Teaching drip irrigation to the Bible College students and helping
them set up a 1/4 acre drip garden for Murli Menon
in Coimbatore, India ... which keeps me on my knees a lot!
The students pause for a group picture after setting up the
drip irrigation garden with kits supplied by Chapin Living Waters.
 
Murli's wife, Usha, plants the first seeds in the small drip irrigation garden
beside their Girl's Home, and pours in the first bucket of water
to feed the garden.
These precious young girls - each saved from female infanticide - now
enjoy fresh vegetables from their drip irrigation gardens each day!
 
Murli has also pioneered the use of drip irrigation for his "roof-top gardens",
on top of his home and Guest House. One of the drip irrigation kits we used
for Murli's roof-top garden.
  
Murli and Usha now harvest bushels of fresh vegetables, such as the
eggplant pictured above, from their rooftop gardens
using the Chapin "Bucket Drip Kit".
 
Helping the students from ECI's Madress Bible Seminary set up a large
drip irrigation garden at Hope City, where Martin, the Academic Dean,
leads the students by example.
The excited students after successfully setting up the
large drip irrigation garden supplied by
Chapin Living Waters.
One of our latest projects is in
Mali, West Africa with David Faouzi Arzouni. We are currently shipping a
pallet of drip irrigation kits from Chapin Living Waters to him to use in this large farm project along the Niger River.
CONCLUSIONS
It has been a joy to share all of
these pictures from our archives about drip irrigation as a way to honor
Dick Chapin around his home-going to heaven. These pictures give you
just a small glimpse of the spiritual and agricultural impact of one
man. He has touched over 150 countries through drip irrigation. It has
been my privilege to play a small part as a “donkey for Jesus” in
transporting his drip irrigation kits to many needy people groups where
God sovereignly directed me. I also am keenly aware that I am just one
of many who were inspired by Dick’s vision and continue to teach his
principles in countries all over the world.
Dick’s life and legacy are secure because Jesus said: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit and that your fruit would remain” (John 15:16).
Because of his spiritual and
agricultural impact, I know that this past Friday, when Dick breathed
his last breath on earth, he immediately was “…at home with the Lord” (II
Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23). And I can only imagine the drip irrigation
garden he will put in around his heavenly home! We know that in the New
Jerusalem, there is a garden watered by the “… river of the
water of life… bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every
month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Rev. 22:1-2). And knowing Dick, he will be trying to run drip irrigation from that river of life!
One thing’s for sure, Dick has heard his master say: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt. 25:21).
I know that the Lord has welcomed Dick with those words because Jesus said: “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat” (Matt. 25:35). Dick did that by teaching people how to consistently feed themselves through drip irrigation.
“The Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest
and in all the work of your hands,
and your joy will be complete”
(Deuteronomy 16:15)
THE JOYFUL HARVEST
Well done, Dick Chapin.
Rejoice in heaven over the bounty
that you have helped needy and hungry people enjoy all over the world!
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