YOU TRANSFORM LIVES THROUGH clean water

For most Americans, clean water is only a few steps away. We turn on a faucet and have plenty of water for drinking, bathing and cleaning. But according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are at least 2 billion people who use a contaminated drinking water source that can transmit diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.

As World Water Day approaches on March 22, we want to show you the tremendous work you are doing worldwide to provide clean water for those who so desperately need it.

For a child living in a rural area, the lack of access to clean water can be especially difficult. A child may be forced to spend much of their time walking long distances to collect water from a distant source, leaving little time for school and, thereby, limiting their opportunities later in life. Also, the water they do collect may be contaminated.

Antoni lives with his family in a village on the side of a mountain in a remote part of Honduras. The greatest need of the entire community is clean water for drinking and cooking. Water came to families via several hoses connected to surface springs that collected into small pools. The water source was exposed and contaminated with bacteria—a situation that can cause illness, especially in children. “We see insects and dirt in the cloudy water,” said Antoni.

After identifying a new water spring higher in the mountain, CBN’s Operation Blessing built a retaining wall and, with help from the community, laid pipes, built a 5,000-gallon storage tank, and added purification. Finally, pipes were run to homes in the community—including Antoni’s.

“My family and everyone in the community are happy because of the water that God sent us. Now everyone who drinks this water will not suffer!” rejoiced Antoni.

In crowded towns and villages, families without access to clean water may be forced to share a single water source with hundreds of other families. This can lead to water shortages along with the contamination.

In Mexico, Teresa , Gilberto, and their three sons know what that’s like. “The kids were getting sick. They had a lot of diarrhea, and they were getting thinner,” explained Teresa.

Boiling the water helped, but there was also not enough for all their family’s needs. “We would get water from the community water system every 15 days, and it was very little,” said Teresa.

But thanks to CBN partners like you, Operation Blessing arrived to change things. A new water tank was built, and a long distribution connected the tank to the spring of water over a hill. Now the family can drink water directly from their faucet at home. “Everything is different now,” said Teresa. “Water means so much to us as humans.”

In a community facing low rainfall and famine, a lack of access to clean water can be catastrophic. Crops cannot be irrigated, and food production is severely limited. This can lead to malnutrition and starvation. In addition, the lack of clean water can force people to migrate in search of food and water, leading to further displacement and poverty.

Not having access to clean water is a global problem that affects millions of people around the world with devastating implications at the individual, family, and community levels. However, through the generosity of wonderful partners like you, Operation Blessing is meeting these needs around the world through donor-funded clean water projects. Because of your compassionate care, countless lives have been saved and communities are being transformed.

Thank you for your extraordinary kindness and steadfast commitment to demonstrating the love of God through life-giving water!