Segundo Morcera and his family live in Nueva Reforma, Peru, a small village burrowed along the banks of the Yarina ravine, an offshoot of the Tapiche River. As a farmer, Segundo provides for his wife and four young children. Water is essential to his livelihood. Without sufficient rainwater, Segundo’s livestock and crops would deteriorate, and he would lose money needed to care for his family. Each day, he is up before dawn working his crops, trying to make ends meet.
Access to water is also crucial for the survival of his family. Like other families in the village, Segundo’s daughters used to rise in the early morning hours to make the dangerous trek to the river to collect water for the day. Even though the river crawls with bacteria that made them sick, it was their closest water source and only option for survival.
As a father, Segundo’s greatest desire is simple but profound: he wants to give his children a future. He wants them to grow up healthy and happy. His kind eyes and affinity for laughter reinforce the message of the wooden cross around his neck — a testament of hope for a better tomorrow.
Thankfully, the worries surrounding water no longer plague Segundo and his family. With the installation of a Water Mission Living Water Treatment System (LWTS) in their village, his family is able to access safe water as often as they need it. The system in Nueva Reforma is serving water to over 250 people daily. And this solution is lasting. The Safe Water Committee, a group of leaders in the community that oversee the management and sustainability of the program, has already saved $812 from water usage payments in the bank for future operating expenses.
“We use water every day, just like our latrine. My daughters are the ones who collect the water because I leave early. We use water for cooking and drinking.”
– Segundo Morcera
Now, this faithful father sleeps at night knowing his family will be spared from further illness caused by contaminated water. As the rain gives life to his crops, the LWTS provides safe water for his children. Each member of Segundo’s family wears a cross around his or her neck — a simple adornment of dark, smooth wood on a piece of string — binding them together, reminding them of God’s provision.
For this family, safe water and the Living Water message of Jesus Christ have given them hope and a bright future. Give Today!