THE SOURCE L I F E WAT E R N E W S L E T T E R | S P R I N G 2 0 1 8
Change that Lasts IN THIS ISSUE: YOUR IMPACT: 154 NEW WATER PROJECTS A VILLAGE TRANSFORMED IN ETHIOPIA F ROM WITCHCRAFT TO FREEDOM IN CHRIST
L ET T ER FROM T H E CEO
“I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” - John 15:16
L I F E WAT E R is a Christian non-profit
Do you long to make an impact for the Kingdom of God? Not just some feel-good
working to end the global water and sanitation crisis. Since 1977, we have served more than 2.5 million people in 40+ countries with life-saving clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.
gesture, but a deep, lasting impact? I know I do. That desire compels us here at Lifewater to go beyond “drill and dash.” Our Vision of
PR E S I DE N T/C E O
Justin Narducci CEO@lifewater.org
a Healthy Village program is an intensive, house-by-house effort to instill health K A LIRO, UGA NDA Women collect water from an unsafe source.
changes that transform communities for
V IC E PR E S I DE N T OF PH I L A N T H ROP Y
Christine Zurbach Christine@lifewater.org
generations to come. And by God’s grace, it’s working! Last year, more than 9,000 homes
completed the steps necessary to become a Healthy Home.
M I DW E S T
Daren Wendell Daren@lifewater.org
We want to bring this change to more vulnerable families. In this newsletter, you’ll read about 1,000 Villages, our threeyear campaign to serve one-thousand communities with
W EST COA ST
Sean Martin Sean@lifewater.org
water, health, and Gospel hope. We’ve already funded the first 100 villages!
S TAY C ON N E C T E D
When you help sponsor a village, we’ll share photos, stories,
75 Zaca Lane Suite 100 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
and updates about the exact village water project you helped make possible. You’ll even be able to see the change happen with our new live maps on lifewater.org (they’ll be online in a few weeks—be sure to check it out!) Join us as we seek to bear fruit that lasts and serve the world’s most vulnerable with joy. Glad to serve with you,
Justin Narducci President/CEO Lifewater International
888 LIFE H2O Info@lifewater.org Lifewater.org
L E AV E A L E G AC Y. To speak with someone about including Lifewater in your will or bequests, contact Christine Zurbach. Christine@lifewater.org Photography by David Uttley and Tyler Wohlford. Paper donated by Spicers Paper. Printing discounted by O’Neil Printing.
Lasting Impact Your giving is making a difference in the lives of thousands of vulnerable families and children. Thank you!
119,827 People Currently Served
11,397
154
Healthy Homes Certified
Sustainability
Village Water Projects Completed
Stewardship $5.9
million
92%
VS
60%
92% of the wells Lifewater has built over the past 10 years are still operational, compared to the 30-40% average failure rate of wells in sub-Saharan Africa.* *Lifewater figures based on water points drilled in northern Uganda between 2007-2015. Overall numbers based on estimates made by the Rural Water Supply Network.
$3.6
million
FY2017
$4.4
68%
FY2018
$3.3
million
million
35%
FY2017
FY2018
GIVING
E X PE N S E S
Financial accountability and good stewardship matter. Learn more: lifewater.org/financial-stewardship
All impact and financial figures are rolling 12 months through February 2018
W O M A N P R A I S E S G O D F O R N E W H E A LT H
RIPPLES OF
TRANSFORMATION How one woman’s journey for clean water changed a community
Gete collecting water for her family.
IN RURAL ETHIOPIA, VULNERABLE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING TRANSFORMATION THROUGH ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE PRACTICES
FARME RS TC Ethiopia
In a village called Farmers TC (Town
They started washing their hands with
Center), lives a woman named Gete, who
a tippy-tap, drying their dishes on a rack,
has experienced great changes in health,
and keeping their toilet clean. They also
and in spirit.
learned how to store their water safely and reduce contamination.
Every day, Gete would carry two jerry cans of water back home, each weighing about 44 pounds.
Gete lives with her husband, her four children, and her mother-in-law. She used
Gete’s home has since been registered as
to walk forty minutes, every day, on an
a Healthy Home, and a new water source
unsafe path to and from a water source,
was constructed just yards away from
to collect water for her family. Every
her home, but that’s not all. Gete was so
day, she would carry two jerry cans of
moved by overcoming these difficulties,
water back home, each weighing about
and by learning new, transformational
44 pounds. Because the water source
ways from Lifewater staff, she became
was not well-managed, Gete’s family was
a WASH (water access, sanitation, and
constantly stricken with water-borne
hygiene) Facilitator in her community.
illnesses. They thought sickness was normal and spent much of their money on health clinic fees. “As farmers, we make less money in the summer,” says Gete. “Lost work-time and money due to sickness left us in a very difficult situation.”
Now that the family has clean water and healthy habits, Gete praises God. CLE A N WATER , G OD’S BLESSINGS Gete’s son retrieves clean water from their new village source.
As a WASH Facilitator for Lifewater, Gete is loving her neighbors in action. “Our new habits and the clean water have been a blessing from God,” says Gete. “This has given us joy and hope. I am hopeful that things will continue to improve in the future. Since learning these things, I have become a facilitator for the community. I want other families to become healthy like mine.”
After local Lifewater staff visited her village, Gete discovered how simple habits
HELP A VILLAGE LIKE GETE’S LIFEWATER.ORG/THOUSANDVILLAGES
could help her family become healthy.
Lifewater Spring 2018 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G
RICHLAND, Washington (and shipping worldwide)
Lifewater + Hope Outfitters
COMPANY GIVES 100% OF PROFITS FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR
RYA N ’S FA MILY “We started Hope Outfitters because Jesus gave up everything to love us and we, in a small way, want to do the same.”
Through partnerships, we are reminded
to start a business that would have an
about the commonality of hope and the
eternal, kingdom impact. Ryan says
power of working together. Our newest
Hope Outfitters’ number one priority is
partnership is with Hope Outfitters, an
to produce fruit for the Kingdom. He
apparel company based in Washington
believes partnering with Lifewater will
dedicated to giving 100% of their profits
help accomplish that because of the
to partner charities. For the next year,
dedicated investment in communities,
100% of the profits from all purchases
meeting physical as well as spiritual
made at Hope Outfitters will be donated
needs, and having a Kingdom impact
to Lifewater and used to bring clean
through the Vision of a Healthy Village.
water, health, and hope to vulnerable people in Africa and Asia. “We are excited about the opportunity to be Hope Outfitter’s campaign partner for an entire year,” says Lifewater Vice President of Philanthropy, Christine Zurbach. “It is a blessing to work alongside a company who cares about bringing clean water to vulnerable people.” Five years ago, Hope Outfitters founder Ryan Welch listened to a call from God
Lifewater Spring 2018 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G
“We love the vision and the heart of Lifewater.” “We love the vision and the heart of Lifewater,” says Ryan. “It’s amazing how they provide clean water to marginalized people who might be told they’re not worth it. Partnering with them seems like a no-brainer.” 100% OF PROFITS SUPPORT LIFEWATER! SHOP NOW AT HOPEOUTFITTERS.COM
K ALIRO, Uganda
K I G O M A (2 N D F R OM R IGH T ) A N D H I S B I B L E S T U D Y G R O U P
Pastor Kungu Loves His Neighbor
FROM WITCHCRAFT TO FREEDOM IN CHRIST
We believe the local church is the best possible vessel through which to meet community health needs.
Like you, we care about sustainable
his village for practicing witchcraft. Yet,
change, and making a Gospel impact. In
because Kungu and the community were
order to do this effectively, we partner
willing to love their neighbor, they were
with local churches to mobilize believers
able to witness transformation take place
to love and serve their neighbors
in Kigoma’s home.
through improved health and a practical expression of the love of Christ.
“God has turned this man’s mess into a message of hope. After receiving
Kungu Misairi has been a local pastor
the word, all the battles that had been
in Kaliro, Uganda since 2010. In 2017,
waged against the entire family calmed
he joined a Discovery Bible Study
down when we camped here and prayed,”
and began working to reach people
says Kungu.
in his community for the sake of the Gospel. The movement was started by New Generations (formerly Cityteam International), which is one of our partners. New Generations works around the world to train and equip local church leaders to spread the Gospel
Through prayer and discovery Bible study meetings at his home, Kigoma and his family have experienced transformation. They are no longer rejected in their community and they have the opportunity to experience greater health and hope.
and transform lives. Recently, Kungu has been able to share this vision in a PA STOR KUNGU MISA IR I Kaliro, Uganda
practical way. Kungu encountered a man named Kigoma who was known in
LEARN MORE ABOUT LIFEWATER’S GOSPEL IMPACT LIFEWATER.ORG/CHURCHES
Lifewater Spring 2018 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G
Brought to you by
TOUR 2018 Come enjoy food, drinks, music, and a virtual reality visit to Ethiopia. Help bring clean water and hope to families in 1,000 rural communities throughout Africa and Asia!
5/12 Salisbury, MD
9/28 Ventura, CA
5/19 Seattle, WA
9/30 San Luis Obispo, CA
5/20 Portland, OR
10/133 Boise, ID
9/8
10/144 Bentonville, AR
Denver, CO
9/22 San Francisco, CA
10/27 Phoenix, AZ
9/23 Sacramento, CA
11/3 Indianapolis, IN
G ET I N VO LV E D Want to be a part of the 1,000 Villages Tour? Here are four ways to get involved (even if the tour isn’t coming to your city). 1 Register to attend an event at lifewater.org/events 2 Host a table at an event 3 Host a 1,000 Villages home event (contact sharon@lifewater.org for more info) 4 Choose a village to sponsor lifewater.org/waterproject
Learn more and get started today! LIFEWATER.ORG/THOUSANDVILLAGES