This article below appears as it does in the print edition of the Summer 2022 Newsletter. For the latest updates on Water Mission’s crisis response in Ukraine, click here. 

The conflict in Ukraine has left more than 6 million people in Ukraine struggling to access safe water. Without reliable water sources for their families, people have resorted to desperate measures, often filling buckets, gas cans, and plastic bags with unsafe water from streams and waterways.  

Water Mission is on the ground working to meet safe water, sanitation, and hygiene needs. We have shipped emergency water treatment equipment and water purification supplies to get safe water flowing in multiple cities in Ukraine. We are also distributing hygiene kits for refugees and those displaced inside Ukraine to help people stay healthy.  

“These hygiene kits are small boxes of hope,” says Craig Williams from our Partnerships and Emergency Coordination team. “They contain basic sanitary supplies—toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap—and are sent into Ukraine for women and children who have fled their homes. These supplies can make their lives easier.”  

We continue to partner with local churches to address physical and spiritual needs, bringing the reassurance of God’s love to those who have experienced tremendous loss. Our local church partners share stories of refugees, young and old, who have given their lives to Christ after witnessing how Christians are serving in His name.   

“Your God will be my God,” a 67-year-old Ukrainian refugee shared about her salvation, “because what you’ve done for me, the care and love you’ve shown, is more than I ever expected from people that are not my people, in a country that’s not mine.” 

Please pray for the men, women, and children of Ukraine. Pray also for our team working in Ukraine and the surrounding region; may God protect and guide them in this vital service. May we continue to bring hope to our global neighbors in their time of greatest need, serving as an example of our Lord’s great love. No matter how great the need, our God’s love is greater.    

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Safe water transforms lives. This Mother’s Day, we celebrate the mothers around the world who are experiencing the lifesaving blessing of safe and Living Water.

Globally, many mothers struggle to raise healthy families without access to safe water. These mothers watch helplessly as their children suffer from water-related illnesses. Their children even face dangers while collecting water. 

Lucy, a mother and long-time resident of Morpus, Kenya, lost her young son many years ago while he was collecting water. Because the only water source in Morpus at the time was a dry riverbed, residents had to dig deep into the sand to reach the water many meters underground.  

Lucy was home cooking for her children while her son was deep in the hole collecting water for the family. Suddenly, Lucy heard cries and screams from the riverbed. When she rushed to investigate, Lucy found that the hole had collapsed, tragically burying her son.   

We are on a mission to end the global water crisis so mothers like Lucy never have to grieve the loss of their children because of this solvable problem. This Mother’s Day, you can show God’s love by helping women keep their children safe and healthy through the gift of safe water.  

Because of caring partners who come alongside Water Mission, we installed a safe water solution in Morpus. Nearly 1,700 people gained reliable access to clean, safe water. Kids no longer need to dig in the riverbed to find water.   

Lucy says that with safe water in the community, “Life has changed completely.” She is grateful that safe water will mean a brighter, safer future for her grandchildren.  

“Now, the children go to school and can get water there,” she said. “We are very thankful.” 

We praise God for partners who help us bring transformation to communities where mothers and grandmothers like Lucy raise their families. With access to safe water, families have improved health, better access to education, and new economic opportunities. As communities witness our clean water charity building lifesaving solutions in the name of the Lord, it opens doors for us to share the gospel.   

One-third of the world’s population still lacks access to safe water, and waterborne illnesses steal more lives every day. The global water crisis is enormous and urgent, but with the Lord’s provision and people like you who come alongside us, there is hope.    

Celebrate Mother’s Day by blessing moms like Lucy with the lifesaving gift of clean, safe water and the transformational Living Water message of Jesus Christ. Your compassion will help mothers build health and hope in their families and show God’s love for His children around the world. 

GIVE TODAY 

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This article below appears as it does in the print edition of the Spring 2022 Newsletter. For the latest updates on Water Mission’s crisis response in Ukraine, click here.

The escalating conflict in Ukraine has triggered an exodus of people, primarily women and children, seeking refuge elsewhere in the region. Water Mission is actively working with partners, local churches, and community groups to care for and serve these refugees. 

Water Mission was quick to respond, sending two assessment teams to border crossings in Poland and Romania within the first few days of the conflict. They immediately evaluated urgent needs and connected with local churches and other NGOs in the area to collaborate on how to best serve refugees.   

We are now partnering with local churches and civic groups near the Ukraine border to help meet refugees’ physical and emotional needs. With regard to emotional needs, our efforts include providing Bibles and biblical trauma healing resources to help minister to refugees and share the Living Water message of Jesus Christ.  

Our strategy is not simply to meet immediate needs, but also to look ahead. Support from caring friends enabled us to proactively ship emergency safe water systems and distribution equipment to Poland and Romania. We are collaborating with other aid organizations on future recovery efforts within Ukraine. These plans include emergency water production and repairs to water infrastructure damaged during the conflict. 

With more than 20 years of experience responding to natural disasters and humanitarian crises, Water Mission has an extensive background in providing immediate and long-term solutions. We’ve served hundreds of thousands of refugees in Tanzania, Uganda, and Malawi. In each of our disaster responses, our team is there to reassure those dealing with overwhelming loss that God is with them. 

We are blessed by those who have generously come alongside us as the hands and feet of Christ. Please join us in praying for the local churches converting their sanctuaries into shelters where refugees can find nourishment, a warm place to sleep, and the hope of Jesus. Pray especially for the women and children we are serving as they seek safety in this season as refugees. As the situation evolves, you may visit watermission.org for updates on our crisis response. 

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In August 2021, Water Mission commissioned a safe water project in Ikonia, Uganda, serving nearly 6,000 people. This solution relies on solar power to pump safe water into the community, schools, and health center. Technology like this offers a sustainable solution for Ikonia’s families, students, and patients. 

“It’s the pride of our community,” shares Jacob Isabirye, a clinical officer at Ikonia Health Centre. “So many health centers from other areas are asking how we did it or what we did to deserve such a grand facility.” 

Before Ikonia received access to safe water, women and children spent much of their time retrieving water.  

“My children’s performance in school [was] not so good since they wasted a lot of time queuing up for water at the well,” shared Patrick Lubaale, local council chairman.  

Today, with access to these resources in their community, life is transformed.  

“The water is very convenient to fetch,” says Juliet Nabiyre, a mother of three. “Can you imagine that anytime I want to get safe water, I just knock at the tap operator’s door, and she gladly opens the tap for me?” 

We pray for the day when safe water solutions are available in all communities worldwide. Until then, we give thanks for friends who come alongside us and make it possible for people in communities like Ikonia to lead healthier, more prosperous lives.  

Give Today

The post Transforming Lives with Safe Water in Uganda appeared first on Water Mission.

As the body of Christ, we are called to use our gifts to further His kingdom. At Water Mission, this means fighting the global water crisis that steals more than 800,000 lives each year. This crisis is enormous and urgent, so Water Mission is eager to find skilled professionals who are passionate about bringing safe and Living Water to our global neighbors. We’re looking for hard-working, purpose-driven people to join our team who:  

• Have a personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Embody our values of love, excellence, and integrity.
• Are flexible, entrepreneurial, and collaborative.
• Want to change the world as part of a best-in-class Christian engineering nonprofit.

As the body of Christ, we are called to use our gifts to further His kingdom. At Water Mission, this means fighting the global water crisis and sharing God’s love. 

We are excited to see who the Lord calls to serve with us. If you are interested in serving with us, visit watermission.org/careers. 

join the team

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When her husband passed away last year, Gladys was suddenly alone in the world with six young daughters. The new widow was determined to remain strong for her children but feared for their safety. Water Mission had installed a safe water solution in Gladys’ community of Santa Elena, Peru, which improved overall health and opportunities. However, families still had to go to the fields for their personal sanitation needs. It can be especially dangerous for women and girls to attend to their needs without protection from animals and strangers. 

“It is not safe out there, especially in the dark,” Gladys explained. “Sometimes, there are wild animals or dangerous people.”

Life in this remote community is not easy. But because of friends who chose to help those in need—including widows like Gladys—Water Mission’s solutions have lightened the burden. This year, we completed a project to install latrines equipped with pour-flush toilets for every single family in Santa Elena.  

“It will be much safer to be inside the house,” Gladys told us as we installed her latrine. ”This is exactly what my daughters and I need.” 

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Around the world, more than 443 million school days are missed every year because of the global water crisis. Girls’ educations are particularly affected. Not only can contaminated water make them too sick to attend school, but they also shoulder the burden of spending hours collecting water for their families. Losing out on an education impacts girls’ futures, but access to safe water creates opportunities to transform lives.  

Munira is an eighth-grader who studies hard at Kacheliba Primary School in Kenya. She is also involved in elective classes focused on how to help others. 

“There’s a project that trained me as a ‘peer educator’ to give me knowledge and training to help others,” she said. “As a peer educator, I try to solve [my friends’] problems and advise them. I like to help because many people are struggling.” 

However, when Munira first arrived at the school in Kacheliba, things were very different. There was no safe water, so she and her classmates had to trek down to the river. They missed classes and faced many dangers collecting water for drinking, cooking, and washing. 

“When I started in the school in 2020, we would struggle with long distances to find water,” says Munira. “Fetching water at the river affected my learning at school because [we missed] lessons. Also, when we went to the river, dangerous strangers would threaten [us].”  

Even the river itself could be dangerous. Munira shared how she narrowly escaped a flash flood while collecting water. 

“One Saturday, my friends and I went to the river to get water, wash our clothes, and take a bath. The water started increasing, and I was swept away. Luckily, I found a stone to hold onto, but it was risky because the wind was blowing so hard. A man came in and grabbed my hand. After that, I swore to never go to that river.” 

Shortly after the incident, Water Mission and The Poul Due Jensen Foundation installed a safe water solution at Munira’s school. Now, the girls can spend their days focused on studies instead of risking their safety to collect water. Munira says that the health and wellness they experience by having safe water has emotional benefits. 

She adds that safety, educational opportunities, and good health come from access to safe water. This makes “water a must for girls in school. It gives us self-esteem. It builds confidence so we know if we have a problem, we can solve it.” 

No longer struggling to collect water and fight water-related illnesses, Munira’s dreams are focused on helping others.  

“I want girls’ lives to be good. I want my friends to be able to decide what they want for their own lives and then fetch it.” 

Give today

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Around the world, 2.2 billion people lack access to safe water. The global water crisis claims the lives of more than 800,000 men, women, and children each year. Parents struggle to lift their families out of poverty when so many hours are spent collecting water that is often contaminated. Boys and girls are too sick to attend school because of drinking unsafe water. Healthcare facilities and schools cannot serve their communities well when proper hygiene and sanitation are simply beyond reach.

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. Water Mission’s vision is that all people have safe water and an opportunity to experience God’s love. 

This World Water Day, we invite you to come alongside us in celebrating the transformation taking place in communities that now have access to clean, safe water.  

Lucy is a mother and grandmother in Morpus, Kenya. Raising her children without access to safe water was dangerous—at times, even deadly. But her grandchildren will grow up with the transformative benefits of safe water. She says, “When Water Mission came, people did not visit the hospital as often. Kids go to school without a problem. So, life here is good. Life has changed completely.” 

Yabes is a farmer and father of four in Oenoni 2, Indonesia, who says, “It is extraordinary. Our lives changed after Water Mission came to Oenoni 2, because we no longer had trouble fetching water. Usually, my wife or my children took turns to fetch water for daily needs, but now we can use our time to work, and my children can study and also play.” 

Juliet, a mother of three in Ikonia, Uganda, told us, “Ever since we had this safe water, we have never gone to the taps and it’s not running. It is also very convenient to fetch. Can you imagine? Anytime I want to get safe water, I just knock at the tap operator’s door, and she gladly opens the tap for me!” 

Friends like you enable Water Mission to save lives and create lasting change for people like Lucy, Yabes, and Juliet. Learn more about Water Mission’s best-in-class safe water solutions and how you can join us in serving men, women, and children around the world.  

GET INVOLVED

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“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” 

–John 10:10-11 

Easter is a time to celebrate the hope of new life that we find in Jesus Christ, but millions of people around the world have never heard this good news. So, at Water Mission, our vision is that all people have safe water and an opportunity to experience God’s love. When we build safe water solutions, communities witness us serving in the name of the Lord. These projects open doors to share the Living Water message, often with men, women, and children whom others have forgotten.   

St. Francis Buluba Hospital in Uganda, for example, houses more than 100 people suffering from leprosy. Some have lived here nearly all their lives. Safe water is critical to health and hygiene in medical facilities like this one. The hospital meets its patients’ basic needs thanks in part to a Water Mission safe water solution, as our co-founder shared in her personal account of a visit to the hospital. But most of these people live in isolation. Rejected by family and friends, they suffer from extreme loneliness.   

True wellness is both physical and spiritual. So, Water Mission is more than a safe water charity—our team is committed to sharing God’s love with these patients. This includes discipleship; equipping local church leaders; ministering to patients; and bringing holiday gifts of food, clothing, soap—and the gospel. The response to our most recent ministry visit was overwhelming.   

When reflecting on Water Mission’s work here, resident Mary Nabirye said, ”I didn’t know God cared about us! I didn’t know anybody could think of coming to visit a leper, but today I feel loved and remembered by God.”

A fellow patient, Peter, agreed.   

“Today is a blessed and a unique day in my life. I received Jesus as Lord and Savior,” he told us. ”Many people don’t spare time to visit people like me. Even our own relatives see us as a burden. May God bless you for thinking about me and loving me.”

Rev. James Ddembe Izimba leads our Living Water activities in Uganda. He explained that the safe water project at the hospital has built trust and relationships that open doors to the gospel.  

“Leprosy patients are regarded as outcasts in their communities and live isolated from others,” he explained. ”However, because of the ministry partnership that arose from the safe water project, patients are filled with joy when they receive Water Mission staff in their homes. [We] pray with them, listen to them, and show God’s love for them.”

We are so grateful for our friends who come alongside us to share safe and Living Water that helps transform lives and hearts. As you celebrate the resurrection this Easter, will you keep our friends at St. Francis Buluba Hospital—and all those we serve—in your prayers? Please also prayerfully consider how you might come alongside us to bring safe and Living Water to those in need around the world. 

Give Today 

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Today, you’ll likely use water countless times—to drink, cook, shower, brush your teeth, and more—without worrying whether the water is safe. 

But more than 2.2 billion people around the world lack access to clean, safe water. Every day, millions of women and children walk more than three miles to collect water that is often contaminated and makes their families sick. 

The 16th Annual Walk for Water is March 26, 2022, at Riverfront Park in North Charleston, SC. We invite you to join us to raise awareness and funds to fight the global water crisis. You can help bring Water Mission’s safe water solutions to your global neighbors. It is a unique opportunity to serve others in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. 

Walk at Riverfront Park 

This year’s Walk for Water at Riverfront Park will begin at 9 a.m. Each walker will grab an empty bucket and walk approximately 1.5 miles. Halfway through the Walk route, they will fill the buckets with water—simulating the trek that millions of women and children make each day to collect water —and complete the next 1.5 miles. 

Along the route, walkers will learn about the global water crisis, experience stories from those we serve, and have the opportunity to tour Water Mission’s global headquarters. Back at the park, they will empty their buckets into a Living Water Treatment System—a system that will be commissioned and sent to a community for use! To celebrate and thank our walkers of all ages, there will be plenty of fun and games at Riverfront Park. 

We invite you to visit charlestonwalk.org to join a team, start your own team, or simply register yourself to Walk. All walkers will receive a Walk for Water t-shirt and resources to help raise awareness and funds about the global water crisis. 

Please register in advance at charlestonwalk.org. Then, follow the official 2022 Water Mission Walk for Water event on our Water Mission Facebook page. Here you will find updates and encouraging information that can be shared to promote why we walk and encourage others to join you! 

If you have questions, please email walk@watermission.org. 

Sign up now

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