Pause for a moment and imagine that, instead of spending time with family during the holidays, you are left with an urgent choice. You must either flee your home to an unfamiliar place or keep your family in imminent danger. 

This is the choice that refugees often face. Just as Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus were forced to flee to Egypt, parents around the world today must flee violence, disasters, and traumatic events. They often leave everything behind and escape carrying only their small children. 

Few people know more about earthly sorrows than refugees. When refugees reach safety, they are often faced with unexpected learning curves:  learning new languages and becoming familiar with cultural customs. Most remain in refugee settings for more than 10 years, including Maria and her family. 

Maria’s parents fled Congo more than 20 years ago, and she was born in the Nyarugusu refugee camp a year later. When we spoke with Maria, she told us that water was always a challenge in the camp. But in 2015, a political crisis in Burundi led to an influx of an additional hundred thousand refugees, which made the resource even more scarce. 

There simply was not enough water to meet everyone’s needs in the camp. Maria and other refugees would spend hours fetching water that was contaminated and made them sick.  

Today, because of the generosity of friends like you, safe water is flowing for all 150,000 refugees in the camp. Your faithful support allowed Water Mission to install innovative solar-powered pumping and water treatment solutions. This means Maria and her new baby, Margaret, have safe water available close to home. 

“When Margaret and I wake up healthy, I count that as a blessing,” Maria says joyfully. “We can bathe. We can wash our clothes. We can wash dishes. Since the presence of the water project, everything has been good. Health is very much improved.” 

Safe water means new mothers, like Maria, can praise the Lord for the blessing of healthy, happy children. It also provides opportunities for refugees and others in need to experience the joy that comes only from a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  

As you celebrate the joy of our Savior’s birth this Christmas, consider blessing families like Maria’s with safe and Living Water.  

Your Christmas gift brings joy to the world’s most vulnerable people. 

GIVE TODAY

The post Safe Water for Refugee Mothers: An Answer to Prayer  appeared first on Water Mission.

As Christmas nears, we celebrate the joy of our Savior’s birth. We also remember those around the world who await the life-changing joy of safe water and the Living Water message of Jesus Christ. 

In Nyarugusu refugee camp in Tanzania, our team has installed safe water solutions that have brought joy and health to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Maria and her one-year-old daughter Margaret are two such people.  

Maria was born in the refugee camp over two decades ago after her parents fled Congo. Before Water Mission came, she used to spend four hours each day collecting water. Unfortunately, the water she collected often made her sick. 

Because of friends like you who care about people like Maria, we were able to build a safe water solution to serve the entire camp—more than 150,000 refugees. 

“When we started using water from the tap stand, I was very happy,” Maria says. “We can bathe. We can wash our clothes. We can wash dishes. Since the presence of the water project, everything has been good. Health is very much improved.” 

The blessing of safe water was especially evident for Maria after her baby daughter, Margaret, was born last year.  

“I’ve never had any issues with my baby having a waterborne illness. I am a Christian, and Margaret is one of my blessings. God has blessed me in so many ways. When Margaret and I wake up healthy, I count that as a blessing every single day.” 

Safe water builds joy. Access to clean, safe water means new mothers like Maria can experience the blessing of seeing their babies wake up healthy every morning. It means little ones like Margaret can experience the joys of childhood. 

During this Christmas season, consider blessing families like Maria’s with the gift of safe water and the Living Water message of our Savior, Jesus Christ.   

GIVE TODAY 

The post Give the Joy of Safe Water This Christmas appeared first on Water Mission.

As Water Mission celebrates its 21st year as a nonprofit, we reflect on all those who use their time, talent, and treasure to serve communities worldwide.

As his team progressed on a safe water project in Lempira, Honduras, Jeison Nolasco received the news that his wife was going into labor. He dropped everything to be by her side.  

“I directed the installation of the water pipes through video calls,” shared Jeison, a Water Mission project manager. “A few days later, we completed the system’s installation.” 

Only family matters like this would pull Jeison away from his job providing clean, safe water and sharing God’s love. 

Jeison and his colleagues on the Honduras team work alongside community leaders to analyze existing water sources and recommend the next steps. During these initial meetings, they ensure community leaders understand their responsibility to sustain the safe water system. Water Mission staff then work to establish a Safe Water Committee and provide safe water, sanitation, and hygiene training. 

Jeison experienced Water Mission’s dedication to excellence during his first few weeks on the job in 2019. “I was struck by Water Mission’s water treatment technology, project monitoring, and care about project sustainability,” Jeison shared. 

Your support allows staff members like Jeison to implement best-in-class solutions and share God’s love. “We are not only bringing physical help to the communities,” he said, “but also carrying the message of the word of God.” 

Join the Water Mission Team 

Are you feeling God calling you into service? Safe water charity Water Mission is hiring skilled people to accomplish the mission the Lord has placed before us. Visit watermission.org/careers to learn more. 

GIVE SAFE WATER

The post Staff Spotlight: Jeison Nolasco, Project Manager appeared first on Water Mission.

Because of your prayerful generosity, nearly 1,200 people in Padre Cocha are experiencing the benefits of safe water and the Living Water message of Jesus Christ. 

In partnership with other caring friends, Water Mission’s Peru team is finalizing its plans to transition Padre Cocha’s safe water solution to the community. By equipping the Safe Water Committee with the necessary water, sanitation, and hygiene training, Padre Cocha will soon independently manage its new system. 

“Thank you for training people in the community to be operators,” said Mariano Manuyama, a Padre Cocha resident. “They are learning to manage all of the system equipment.” 

The project’s commissioning ceremony in December 2021 was full of joy and laughter. Children who no longer suffer from waterborne illness rejoiced in song and dance. Community members prayed over the new system, which provides clean, safe water for more than 250 families. 

“Not only is today a day of celebration, but we celebrate every day enjoying this Living Water,” said Victoria Espinoza, Peru interim country director, during her speech at the ceremony. 

“We are so happy and thankful to Water Mission that God has placed His hands on them so they could come here to our community and improve the water,” shared Maria Laiche Huayta, a member of the Safe Water Committee.  

GIVE SAFE WATER

The post Safe Water for 250 Families in Padre Cocha, Peru appeared first on Water Mission.

How Reliable Access to Safe Water is Transforming Livelihoods in Chikola 

Time is precious. With enough of it, people have the opportunity to achieve their dreams.  

For Helena, a 16-year-old in Chikola, Tanzania, time was rarely on her side. Like many women and children around the world, Helena was responsible for walking long distances to fetch water for her family. 

Every morning, she would spend two to three hours traveling from her home, standing in line, filling her jerry cans, and trekking back. This is time that could be spent receiving an education or chasing her dream of having a farm of her own.   

“Girls in my community face challenges because they have to go fetch water before they go to school. So, most times, they are either late or unable to make it to school,” she says. “The water is very scarce. Sometimes girls are able to get to the well, but there is a long queue, and they are unable to get water in time [to get to school].” 

Collecting water so far away puts young women like Helena in dangerous situations. It also takes away valuable time from school and other activities. 

Like young women everywhere, Helena dreams of a prosperous future and knows that both time and access to safe water play an important role in her success. She says she loves her community and wants to stay there and have a farm of her own. 

“With farming, you have to go fetch water before you can work on the farm,” Helena says. “With water close by, you can just get the water and start working.” 

No matter an individual’s dream or aspiration, the gift of time and access to safe water play an integral role in a person’s future. 

Thanks to the monthly support from our Thirst Quenchers, more than 7 million people around the world have access to safe, clean water.  

GIVE TODAY

The post With Time on Her Side, Helena’s Dreams Can Become a Reality  appeared first on Water Mission.

It’s back-to-school season. As memories of catching the bus or walking to school flood the minds of many, new generations are following in their footsteps. This time of year is often hopeful and exciting. But the devastating reality is that millions of children long to receive an education but often miss school due to illnesses caused by contaminated water sources.

This was the case for children growing up in Conquista Campecina, a small, remote community in Chiapas, Mexico. Many children were too sick to run, play, or go to school.  

“My little boy suffered a lot in the past because we would drink water from the well,” said Angela, a mother of two. “He could play for 15 minutes and would just be tired. He would get sick and couldn’t go to school. When he finished kindergarten, he couldn’t even hold a pencil to draw or write.” 

Because of the community’s proximity to the ocean, the shallow, hand-dug wells were salty. Mothers like Angela prayed that their children could thrive.  

“I remember when we had meetings at school, there was one very frequent topic,” she said. “All the parents would say how their children were not attending school because of sickness.” 

With the help of faithful partners like you, Water Mission installed solutions to provide safe water for the entire community of Conquista Campecina. 

A Community’s Resilience 

While the community struggled with illness, its residents remained hopeful, selflessly helping one another. Now, with direct access to safe water, the livelihood of the entire community has changed for the better.  

“Now, my little boy is more focused,” Angela exclaimed. “He’s learning to use a pencil. He’s learning to write. He’s not getting sick very often. He’s not complaining about his stomach. He’s not in pain. Now, he is doing his best.”  

Angela’s son and daughter are thriving in school and enjoying their childhoods. It brings Angela great joy. 

Fighting the Global Water Crisis 

While we rejoice over Conquista Campecina’s access to safe water, 2.2 billion people worldwide still lack access to this basic human need. Water Mission is a clean water charity committed to working with faithful supporters like you to provide the gift of safe water and share the Living Water message of Jesus Christ. 

As children worldwide prepare for the upcoming school year, please pray: 

• For the communities that are still awaiting access to clean, safe water.
• For staff, local churches, and community members who work together to bless their neighbors through our projects.
• For the relationships built between staff and communities, in hopes that everyone would come to know God and believe in his Son, Jesus. 

As you pray, consider how you might bless children around the world with safe water solutions and the opportunity to get an education. 

GIVE TODAY

The post Safe Water’s Impact on Education in Mexico appeared first on Water Mission.

Access to safe water can change lives, building health and hope. It can create educational and economic opportunities that help break the cycle of poverty in families and communities.  Through the Lord’s provision and caring friends who come alongside us, we can ensure communities like Desa Sopu, Indonesia, have access to clean, safe water.  

In January, Water Mission commissioned a safe water project in Desa Sopu that now serves every family in the community—more than 900 people. Raw water is gravity fed into the community from a spring. It is then treated to make it safe to consume. Residents in the community can collect the safe water from a kiosk-style setup that allows for easy, reliable access to this essential resource. 

Boys and girls used to get sick from water-related illnesses. A community leader told us that now, with the new safe water solution, “Kids are fit to study in school.” 

We are thankful to those who partner with us to serve our global neighbors. 

Give Now

The post Safe Water for Indonesia appeared first on Water Mission.

For the community of Sur de Guillen, Mexico, safe water was a resource many families prayed for. When Water Mission answered God’s call to implement a safe water solution at a local church in 2020, residents witnessed a transformation in physical and spiritual well-being.  

Water Mission serves our global neighbors, regardless of their faith. Believers and unbelievers alike rely on the safe water provided at the church in Sur de Guillen, including Floridalma, a mother of six and grandmother of seven. 

“I have used Water Mission water since the project was commissioned,” she shared. “It’s a great blessing for us because all my family is consuming water that is good quality.” 

When she began retrieving safe water from the church, Floridalma was not a Christian. But when she fell ill, her perspective shifted. The next time she went to the local church, she sought something more than safe water—she went in search of God’s guidance. 

She asked the pastor to pray with her. After praying together, the Lord answered, and she recovered from her illness. After this experience, Floridalma kept coming back to church, now for the Living Water of Jesus Christ. She became a Christian and shared her faith with her family, who eventually also found salvation in Christ. 

“I have seen the hand of God over our family,” she said. “I’m so happy to see all my family on the path of righteousness.” 

Wherever Water Mission serves, our vision is that all people have safe water and the opportunity to experience God’s love. We believe the Lord is concerned about the physical and spiritual well-being of all people.  

Safe water access in Sur de Guillen made that possible for Floridalma. 

“Jesus is my father and is the source of my life, I trust in Him,” she said. “He is my everything. I will never leave Him because I need Him in my life.” 

Give Now

The post Sharing the Good News in Mexico appeared first on Water Mission.

In honor of World Refugee Day, we are publishing this story from the Water Mission 2022 Summer Newsletter on June 20. This year, World Refugee Day focuses on every person’s right to seek safety. We are honored to provide those seeking safety with one of life’s most important resources, safe water. 

“World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.”

—UNHCR 

Dzaleka refugee camp lies just north of Water Mission’s office in Lilongwe, Malawi. Built in the late-1990s, the settlement provided refuge to thousands of people fleeing violence in Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the time, its capacity was between 10,000 and 14,000 people. With a recent influx of refugees, Dzaleka now houses more than four times that number of people. Because of this, the camp infrastructure is stretched beyond capacity. 

With the steadily rising population in Dzaleka, one of the biggest concerns was access to safe water. Safe, treated water is essential to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses in refugee camps. It also provides the foundation for supporting other critical services, such as food distribution and medical-related needs. 

Because of our proven track record of building best-in-class safe water solutions in other refugee settings, we were invited to assess the situation in Dzaleka. We then provided our recommendations to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).   

“As part of our initial assessment, we identified that there was no water treatment happening in the camp,” shared Nathan Schneider, Water Mission’s project manager for East Africa. 

Because even clear water can contain deadly bacteria and other contaminants, Water Mission’s report to UNHCR recommended improvements to the water systems, including the addition of residual chlorine dosing systems. On December 8, Water Mission was asked to move forward with implementing our recommendations. Because safe water saves lives, we mobilized quickly and, within just a few weeks, completed the system upgrades. 

“It was a short time to execute,” Nathan said, “but the Malawi team worked through the Christmas holiday to ensure this project was done well.”  

Our team retrofitted existing water systems with erosion chlorinators to treat the water. The safe, treated water is then distributed to men, women, and children in the settlement. This project serves more than 25,000 people and is the first verified safe water solution in Dzaleka.  

Appropriate engineering design takes into account geographical and cultural context, as well as supply chain limitations. The chlorination systems we installed in Dzaleka are ideal for rural settings because they do not require electricity, are easily transported, and are simple to operate.  

Water Mission first started working with refugees in 2013, and today has major initiatives supporting refugees in Western Tanzania and Northern Uganda. With the Lord’s provision and because of faithful partners who come alongside us, we have provided safe water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions for hundreds of thousands of refugees. 

Water Mission is honored to work with UNHCR and Welthungerhilfe to fight the global water crisis and serve refugees. According to UNHCR, there are more than 84 million forcibly displaced people worldwide—a devastating statistic that continues to grow each year. 

Serving in vulnerable communities like Dzaleka is an incredible opportunity to show God’s love to our neighbors. By providing one of life’s most important resources, safe water, we can help refugees have a chance to lead healthier and more prosperous lives. 

give today

The post 2022 World Refugee Day: Safe Water for Refugees appeared first on Water Mission.

Sonia used to wake up in the early morning hours and walk a mile to reach the closest water source. Her family lives in Oenoni, an isolated community in Indonesia. Though her island is surrounded by seawater, it was a daily struggle to obtain fresh drinking water.  

After filling her jugs with water, Sonia carried them back home. This daily trek was a burden for Sonia, as it is for millions of women around the world. Women around the world spend 200 million hours each day collecting water—hours that could be used to care for their families or earn an income. 

Although the water she worked so hard to collect looked clear, it was often contaminated and made her family sick. Waterborne illnesses are deadliest to children under five years old and put Sonia’s baby at risk. Constantly being sick also made it difficult for Sonia to attend to the work that comes with being a new mother. 

Thanks to partners like you, Sonia now has a water source just steps from her front door. Our teams installed a safe water solution in Oenoni that provides reliable access to water for the 1,200 residents. The system pipes water to 300 households, a school, and a medical clinic. Families are healthier, and women like Sonia have more time in their day to tend to their children and their households.  

“Before, it took a lot of struggle to [fetch water],” Sonia said. “Our lives changed after Water Mission came because the water that was so far away is now in front of our house.”  

Having nearby access to safe water has given Sonia more time to care for her baby, who thankfully no longer suffers from water-related illnesses.  

“We are very grateful to God, to Water Mission, and to those who helped bring water closer to our homes,” she said. “This is the love of God that we feel.”  

By coming alongside Water Mission, you can help change even more lives in Southeast Asia and around the world through safe and Living Water.  

Please pray for all the mothers who still long for safe water for their children. As you pray for our work around the world, please also consider how you can deepen your partnership with Water Mission and reach more people like Sonia. 

GIVE TODAY

The post Safe Water Transforms Life in Oenoni, Indonesia   appeared first on Water Mission.