El Salvador (MNN) — "The ancient Romans had better water quality than half the people alive now," says to Living Water International. "We're working to change that."
With the recent implementation of a new well in Copatacho, El Salvador, Living Water International continues to move forward in their mission to provide healthy drinking water to the nations in need. This is a relief to both the LWI team and the people in Copatacho as earlier teams have had difficulty with their well installations. The fact that this well was completed is nothing short of a gift from God and an encouragement to the LWI staff in their strategic plan.
In early 2010, LWI's CEO Mike Mantel came up with a strategic five-year plan for the mission that would enable men and women to reach out physically to those in need, not just work behind closed doors. Summits were held all over the world, and what emerged were new goals for LWI in their mobilization of the provision of healthy drinking water.
Just a few of those goals as stated on LWI's Web site are, "Maturing all programs to include water, sanitation and hygiene activities; concentrating work in geographic zones to maximize transformation; emphasizing service delivery over time; catalyzing innovative disciple-making activities in partnership with local churches; and helping communities mobilize their own material assets."
Since the summits, LWI has been sending out teams of volunteers to help assist the installation of drinking wells all over the world, Copatacho, El Salvador being one of them. Testimonies of their volunteers who traveled with them show a transformation of perspective upon their return.
Some volunteers felt led to give up all other drinks except for water for a period of time and donate the money they would have spent on beverages toward other countries where water is a precious gift of life. Others came back touched by the El Salvadorian culture, the people, and the joy in the believers there, even under such difficult circumstances.
The work to bring clean drinking water to El Salvador is far from over. On average, one out of every six El Salvadorians goes without safe drinking water. You wouldn't expect El Salvador to have water problems with its six feet of rainfall each year. The main issue is the lack of clean drinking water. Drinking water is constantly contaminated in El Salvador due to shallow wells that are easily contaminated by latrines and pollution in the soil. Living Waters International seeks to build wells that go deeper into the soil and are protected from surface pollution.
Providing clean drinking water to a community in El Salvador is one of the most precious gifts that can be given. Please pray for Living Water's ongoing mission to reach out with the compassion of Christ to those in need of clean water. Matthew 25:40 states, " And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me'" (ESV).
