Sudan (MNN) — Southern Sudan has been plagued with difficulties. Civil war and food shortages have left the Sudanese desperate. However, Living Water International is just one organization that's taking a risk and helping this beleaguered area of Africa.
LWI's Brad Saltzman just returned from the region where he says the need for clean safe drinking water is great. "There are thousands of broken hand wells around Sudan, plus the infrastructure is so difficult — the roads are in such terrible condition that it's hard to either drill wells or repair water wells. There's so much need. It's almost unbelievable."
Living Water International was able to do what they could during their 10-day visit. Saltzman says, "We had three staff members from Living Water International, and we were successful in repairing three well that had broken hand pumps on them. We estimate that it served a population of about 4,000 people."
While water was their focus, that wasn't their only purpose. "It's a combination of meeting a tremendous need from the practical side of the water and then providing for their spiritual needs of the living water of Jesus Christ," says Saltzman.
They do that by partnering with the local church and by their testimony as they're working at the project site. Saltzman says, "We make it very clear that it's a cup of water in Jesus' name. We always dedicate the well in Jesus' name when we're done, and we try to have as many from the village at the end so that they know that it's God that's providing the living water of Jesus Christ and not North Americans that have come over to help solve this problem."
Funding is needed to help Living Water International make repairs and dig more wells and to help spread the message of the Gospel in a powerful and effective way.
