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About

Water from the Rock

Our History

The idea for Water from the Rock (or WFTR) first came about in 2005. But as Femi Oni (its founder) has often said, kingdom vision is first created by God (in the heart of the visionary) and then it undergoes at least 3 more stages before it can be birthed. Those formative years (which you could call “gestation”) took over 10yrs. During this period, the picture of Water coming out of a Rock (the Rock being Christ) formed. The mandate for the organisation gradually emerged, with a clear scripture to back it up (i.e. Jeremiah 1: 9-10). In 2009, our first ministry activity was (and remains) to reconnect Christians with the hebraic roots of their faith. The pilgrim’s tour (and it’s now known) became the first of many that has now attracted believers from over 20 denominations to date. In 2016, God added to our work by compelling us to help restore the concept of discipleship back to the local church. Known as the Disciplers’ Workshop, it has now attracted delegates from over 15 denominations (with some of the workshops ran across 4 continents).

The subsequent years after 2016 brought many other initiatives which enabled us to gain charity status in 2020 (charity No. 1192140). We are a faith-based organisation – meaning we depend on God to provide for what we do through His gave and the generous donations of people.

In our collective desire to be a resource as many as possible within the evangelical community of believers, we hope to continue to grow – contributing in the way God’s grace allows us to, to the wider Body of Christ. Our visionary, Femi Oni, very much credits the success of some of the strong foundation of work to others whom he has served over the year (and on whose shoulders we now stand on).

Brief Overview of our work

By 2014, the core vision (or DNA) for WFTR was established and can be pretty much summed up in Jeremiah 1: 9-10. Our objective is to contribute to advancing the evangelical faith of the layperson by being a resource to the wider Body of Christ through the following:

  • Helping Christians to reconnect with the Hebraic roots of their faith (through our annual Pilgrims Tour)
  • Helping to restore the Discipler (the emerging leader) back in the fabric of church life (www.disciplersworkshop.com )
  • Serving churches or organisations behind-the-scenes who are going through the challenges of transition and “di-vision” and transition (Let Your Net Down initiative)
  • Working in collaboration with organisations or churches to provide preliminary training to those considering long-term humanitarian work in the developing world (the Macedonian Call Initiative or MCI)
  • Linking isolated small expressions of Christ (such as home-groups) with the wider Body of Christ (through initiatives such as “the Well” and the “Praise & Prayer weekends”)

For detailed information about each of the areas above, please visit our what we do page.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

As an organisation, we have beliefs which help shape our culture and values. Here are some of those beliefs:

We believe that the bible is the full authoritative word of God and refer to it as the foundation for daily living (Ps 119: 105; Heb 4: 12).

We believe that God gives gifts to men & women for the purpose of edification, exhortation and correction (1 Cor 12: 1-29; Eph 2: 20-22).

We are more than a charitable organisation: we are intentionally inter-denominational in our values and we are called to be a voice of hope & a hand of healing to the nations: (Mt 25: 31-46;1 Cor 3:5-15).

We promote a culture of growing people as part of our contribution in restoring discipleship back to the heart of the local church in every nation.

Alliance of Beliefs: Intentionally part of a wider family

We subscribe the basis of faith and beliefs of the evangelical alliance in the UK (www.eauk.org) and seek to adhere to a set of working guiding principles that enables us to do what we do without intentionally veering off from our core vision. Should you require more details about what we believe, please write to us at policy@wftherock.org.

OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE

We are a faith-based organisation (meaning we depend on God through His people to finance what we do). All our workers (including the founders) serve on a voluntary basis. As our work involves extensive travels, training workshops and international projects, we incur enormous running costs. As a result, we operate as a not-for-profit Christian organisation with business ethics. This means we welcome donations from beneficiaries of our work in order to cover our running costs.

Registration with the Charity Commission

WFTR is eligible for basic charity status in the UK but our work has grown beyond a basic charity structure. As a result, we have successfully been awarded CIO (charity incorporated organisation) Status with the Charity Commission in England & Wales (Charity No. 1192140).

Meet Our Team

Founder

Femi Oni

Femi Oni is the Founder of Water from the Rock. He is an Orthoptist (vision therapist) by profession and served full time in the health industry in the UK for over 15 years. He is the founder of Blessed To Be Blessing (www.btbab.org) – an organisation he led for over 18 years. Femi left full time work in the health sector in 2016 to devote fully to the work of WFTR.

Born in England into an African heritage, he has harnessed this into a positive combo that has enabled him to form a “third” culture that is refreshing, challenges fracture norms and became redemptive though his personal journey of faith as a Christian. He is married to Maria and have 3 children (their first child now in heaven).He worked successfully as a full time Orthoptist (vision therapist) for 18yrs during which he pioneered many humanitarian initiatives that eventually led to him founding Blessed To Be A Blessing (www.btbab.org) – an organization he led until 2019. He speaks internationally and, along with his wife, pioneered the Discipleship Revolution:  www.disciplersworkshop.com. In 2016, he left his work in full time health industry to devote fully to the work of Water from the Rock

HOBBIES

Femi enjoys photography and has a knack for creative writing

Executive Director, WFTR

Primarily responsible for setting vision & creating new initiatives for WFTR Currently tasked with developing the Transit initiative

PERSONAL JOURNEY OF DEVELOPMENT

Standing on the Shoulder of Giants

Femi has long been a relational person. He credits his journey of faith to men & women whose shoulders he has stood on for over 20years – most notably are Paul & Kate Jinadu (founders, New Covenant Churches) and David Cowie (Founder, Marine Reach International)

International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) in collaboration with WHO

Obtained a Diploma in Community Eye Health and subsequently set-up a faith-based primary eye care course in the Amazon in 2006 for humanitarian workers serving in the isolated communities where there is no doctor. The training was endorsed by the ICEH, UK (iceh.lshtm.ac.uk)

University of Liverpool, UK; Work as a healthcare professional

Obtained a Bachelor of Science in Orthoptics (vision therapy) and worked within the national health service (NHS) for 18years during which he rose through the ranks of senior clinician to set up innovative initiatives that helped to make healthcare more accessible

Earlier Years: Working with youth, students & the poor

Director of Operations, Blessed To Be A Blessing (BTBAB)

2004 – 2019: Founded BTBAB and led 14 humanitarian teams to some of the poorest villages in the developing world. Under his leadership, BTBAB became a fully functional organization and a registered charity

Missionary Work (prior to BTBAB and WFTR)

1997 – 2005: Femi began his mission work in 1997 following a medical mission in Lithuania with Mercy Ships (now YWAM Ships). He served briefly with Iris Ministries and then extensively under Marine Reach International for 5years (first in the Pacific and then in the Amazon)

College and Campus Ministry; Youth Ministry

1992 – 2001: Femi pioneered two Christian unions (at college level) and was privileged to co-lead a move of God in the 1990’s at the University of Liverpool where hundreds came to faith in Christ. He also served as a Young Adults & Youth Leader for over 10yrs within his local church.

Advisor

Maria Oni

Maria Oni is married to Femi. She is an advisor for our humanitarian work in the developing world (also known as Macedonian Call Initiative, or MCI). Prior to joining the WFTR team, Maria served in her native country of Brazil for 17 years: first working with the homeless in the slum cities of Sao Paulo & Rio, and then serving to help with literacy work among indigenous tribes in the Amazon jungle.

PROFILE

Born and raised in Brazil, Maria (fondly known as Cidinha) is a down-to-earth person with a passion for life and over 25yrs humanitarian experience in international work.
She is married to Femi and have 3 children (their first child now in heaven).
She worked successfully as a full time humanitarian worker with Youth With A Mission for 10yrs: first with the homeless on the streets of Brazil and then with their discipleship training schools. She subsequently joined Global Recordings in 2000 working with language for indigenous tribes along the Amazon jungle. She along with her husband (Femi), pioneered the Discipleship Revolution: www.disciplersworkshop.com In 2019, Maria joined the WFTR team as an advisor to the Board of Trustees

HOBBIES

Maria enjoys languages and is fluent in 3 languages. She has earned herself a following for a knack for creative cooking

Advisor, Water from the Rock (WFTR)

Primarily responsible for developing hospitality and translation for WFTR Currently tasked with translating WFTR materials into Portuguese

PERSONAL JOURNEY OF DEVELOPMENT

Developing a heart for the nations

Maria grew up in her native country of Brazil. Her love for travelling developed when her father was the President of the AA in Brazil. She recalls travelling with him across many cities, watching her father share how he was freed from a lifestyle of addiction & alcohol. Maria would eventually give up her dream of becoming a journalist to begin a life in missions at 18years old. First, she completed a discipleship training school with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). 30yrs later (with over 25years in full time international missional work), her love for travel has taken her to over a dozen nations and has enhanced her love for languages.

University of the Nation (U of N)

Obtained a Certificate in School of Health Missions and subsequently used this in her work with indigenous tribes along the Amazon River

SERVING IN HUMANITARIAN CAPACITY

Chair of the Board of Trustee for Blessed To Be A Blessing (BTBAB)

Maria was recently appointed as Acting Chair on the BTBAB Board of Trustees. Her role is to gather minds around the table in order to collaboratively develop the strategies for the work of BTBAB. BTBAB as an organization has trained and sent out over 30 short-term teams to the developing working, fully funded over 30 young people’s education or training, and help lift 5 villages out of poverty. BTBAB is a registered charity with the Charity Commission in England & Wales

Earlier Years Working among the poor (prior to BTBAB and WFTR)

1994 – 2007: For the first 10yrs of her humanitarian work, Maria served selflessly in helping the homeless and drug addicts off the streets of Brazil. The work involved running a respite home to provide shelter, food and providing basic vocational skills to enable people to transition back to contributing to society. She then moved to the Amazon jungle where she served with Global Recordings for 7yrs: during which she recorded indigenous languages to help create the alphabet to turn such languages into written ones.

She then moved to the Amazon jungle where she served with Global Recordings for 7yrs: during which she recorded indigenous languages to help create the alphabet to turn such languages into written ones.

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Priya Hodgins

Priya Hodgins has been a supporter of our work since the birth of WFTR. She is blessed with a daughter and makes her home in the United Kingdom. She is a medical doctor by profession but has tremendous heart for our international work. She is the Chair of the Board of Trustees but also responsible for policy development as well carrying the executive authority on who receives sponsorship.

Priya Hodgins has been a supporter of our work since the birth of WFTR. She is blessed with a daughter and makes her home in the United Kingdom. She is a medical doctor by profession but has tremendous heart for our international work. She is the Chair of the Board of Trustees but also responsible for policy development as well carrying the executive authority on who receives sponsorship.

Trustee

Hannah James

Hannah James is the Trustee for developing the Disciplers Workshop (www.disciplersworkshop.com). She is a paediatric nurse by profession and previously served as a humanitarian nurse in the developing world for over 8 years before joining WFTR.

PROFILE

She was born in England to British parents and has a brother, a sister and 6 nieces. Hannah has worked as a full time paediatric nurse for the last 16 yrs. In 2010 she was discipled by Femi and Maria and mentored into short-term missions, some of which were medical. She has been to 8 different nations on short-term trips since, 4 of these teams she has led.

In 2019, although still working as a nurse, she reduced her working hours to allow her to dedicate more time to the work of Water from the Rock.

HOBBIES

Hannah enjoys the theatre and eating out

Executive Trustee, Water from the Rock (WFTR)

 

PERSONAL JOURNEY OF DEVELOPMENT

Discipleship

Hannah has known Femi since 2000 when they began attending the same local church and met Maria in 2010 when they began discipling her. She has developed a passion to see others brought to freedom from areas of bondage in their lives, helping them learn who they are in Christ and how to discover God’s call on their lives.

Anglia Ruskin University; work life

Hannah qualified as a paediatric nurse in 2003. She led the Christian Union during her 2nd year. She has worked in various paediatric nursing settings including in diabetes. She currently works on a paediatric ward.

EARLIER YEARS: INVOLVEMENT IN MISSIONS AND CHURCH

Director of Administration, Blessed to be a Blessing (BTBAB)

2014 – 2016: Involved in putting together and distributing the quarterly newsletter and helping to organize training weekends and retreats.

Director of Training, Blessed to be a Blessing (BTBAB)

2016-2019: During this time Hannah has mentored new team leaders for short-term mission teams and been responsible for the running of training weekends for these teams. She was also responsible for child safeguarding and the orientation to medical missions.

Missionary Work (prior to BTBAB and WFTR)

1999 – 2000: Hannah completed a discipleship training school (DTS) with Youth with a Mission (YWAM)-She spent 3 months in Ukraine linking in with schools and a local church. She then joined a team and spent 6 weeks in India with YWAM where she prayer trekked in the foothills of the Himalayas for 6 days, attended to the wounds of people with leprosy and assisted in other ministries to the poor.

Children’s Ministry

2003-2006 After qualifying as a paediatric nurse, Hannah took on the ministry for the 3-5 yr olds in her local church. She built a team over this time before handing this over.

Jono Skinner Profile
Advisor

Jon Skinner

Jono Skinner joined WFTR in 2020. He makes his home in New Zealand where he lives with his wife (Nicky) and they are blessed with 2 young girls (Hope and Elsie). They are active members of the local Vineyard Church and have been serving there since settling in Auckland. He and his wife have run a home group and were part of a missionary trip to Nepal with the Himalayan Vineyard, network of churches.

Jono Skinner joined WFTR in 2020.  He makes his home in New Zealand where he lives with his wife (Nicky) and they are blessed with 2 young girls (Hope and Elsie).

They are active members of the local Vineyard Church and have been serving there since settling in Auckland. He and his wife have run a home group and were part of a missionary trip to Nepal with the Himalayan Vineyard, network of churches.

He studied Landscape and Garden Design in the UK and has been involved in the design of many large projects in UK and overseas.. But his
experience has moved beyond this design work into business in the last 15yrs (including setting up several of his own businesses in New
Zealand. Jono now has a Design and Build consulting business for clients wanting to create bespoke homes in Auckland).

With his previous experience in e-business consulting, He now advises the organisation on our digital marketing as well as on how to manage our finances based on integrity and our Christian ethics.

Hobbies – Jono and Nicky have both travelled extensively to over 40 countries but more recently enjoy camping out by the ocean or a river
in the bush, fly fishing and going on adventures with the family.