Water Partner Provides Food for Struggling Families
In extraordinary times, people will find extraordinary ways to serve. One beautiful example can be found in the village of Santa Rita de Oriente, Honduras. The team that operates the community's Living Waters for the World (LWW) water purification system is using funds from their water sales to help struggling families in new ways.
On April 2nd Sandra Aly from Santa Rita de Oriente posted the following to the Honduran water site WhatsApp group:
"The purifier of Santa Rita de Oriente, Santa Barbara, used proceeds from the sale of water to donate food to the most needy families in the community because of the situation we are experiencing. We took four aspects as priorities: 1) economic situation, 2) older adult, 3) households with children, and 4) people with disabilities.
We are waiting for a second installment. The community has an epidemiological fence that does not allow the entry and exit of people. Community organizations, churches and small businessmen have said this is to ensure that our neighbors do not go out for food and become infected.”
In 2018, this rural village partnered with an LWW volunteer team from Virginia to install a water purification system that could make their contaminated water safe to drink. They installed the system in a central location to provide affordable, clean water for the entire community. When the coronavirus pandemic struck, they allocated 60% of their water profits to pay for food and necessities for struggling families. Their commitment to protecting the health and well-being of their neighbors is shining the love and light of Christ in their community.
Olvin Duron, Living Waters for the World’s in-country technician said, “We feel proud of communities like this. They understand very well what the Living Waters ministry means - giving more than water. The profits they are getting to sustain the water system, they are using to help people who are hungry now. I’m also proud because they are thinking that if things get worse, they are hoping to give free water to all people who are needing it in the community.” Other Honduran water partners have found inspiration in Santa Rita de Oriente’s generosity. Erik Fuentes, a teacher at Instituto Tecnico Santa Cruz responded to the news saying, "Let's put our grain of sand to the best of our ability." Erik's is perhaps the oldest LWW system in Honduras, and it was just recently reconstructed to enable it to provide clean water for many years to come. Leonel Zaldivar from the Naco water system said, "Thank you friends of Santa Rita de Oriente. Look what they do for their people. And thank you to Living Waters for the World for bringing these projects to our communities, for the service of the most needy, the children and older adults."
Living Waters for the World’s model for mission emphasizes empowerment rather than dependence. In extraordinary times when travel restrictions prevent outside support, water partners can respond to the needs of their community in extraordinary ways. Please join us in praying for the water ministry in Santa Rita de Oriente, Honduras, and for all Living Waters for the World partners.
Living Waters for the World (LWW) is a nonprofit that trains volunteers to build partnerships teaching the installation and maintenance of water purification systems and health education programs. Most LWW water purification systems are located outside of the United States in community settings such as civic centers, orphanages, and churches. Volunteers have also partnered with homeowners in rural Appalachia to install home-based systems.
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