THE SOURCE L I F E WAT E R N E W S L E T T E R | W I N T E R 2 0 1 8
Love Well IN THIS ISSUE: YOUR IMPACT: 100,000+ PEOPLE SERVED A PERSISTENT WIDOW IS REWARDED L IFEWATER BBQ SERVES SCHOOLS
L ET T ER FROM T H E CEO
“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” - John 13:34
L I F E WAT E R is a Christian non-profit
It’s a new year full of new opportunity. I hope you’ve had some time to reflect on 2017 and also look forward to the year to come. At Lifewater, we’re doing the same thing. God’s blessings were abundant in 2017: more than 9,000 new Healthy Homes and 169 water projects. Behind each number are stories of
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.
PR E S I DE N T/C E O
Justin Narducci CEO@lifewater.org 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
people like El Lot, a widow I met in Cambodia. El Lot’s Healthy Home is a testament to her hard work and
M I DW E S T
unwavering commitment to provide a better future for her
Daren Wendell Daren@lifewater.org
children. Looking ahead, there is still much work to do. The commitment I’m making this year is not some lofty goal
W EST COA ST
Sean Martin Sean@lifewater.org
or exceptional achievement. I want the work we do to be marked by a deep love, not a cheap transaction.
S TAY C ON N E C T E D
In every village we serve, the women and children should
75 Zaca Lane Suite 100 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
know the love of the Father through our staff. This is something we can all do – even in our most mundane activities. Taking kids to soccer practice, shuttling them to and from school, and building new water sources.
The world is thirsty for love. Let this be a year that we resolve to love well. In big and small things.
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.
Glad to serve with you,
Justin Narducci President/CEO Lifewater International
Paper donated by Spicers Paper. Printing discounted by O’Neil Printing.
Real Impact
All impact figures are rolling 12 months through December 2017.
Your giving is making a difference in the lives of thousands of vulnerable families and children. Thank you!
115,309 People Currently Served
9,373
169
Healthy Homes
WHAT IS A
Village Water Projects Completed
A healthy home is one that has adopted five simple yet life-changing improvements.
WASH HANDS
STORE & USE WATER SAFELY
BATHROOM WITH ROOF & DOOR
DRYING RACK
KEEP AREA CLEAN
Everyone washes hands with soap and water.
Water is filtered or boiled to avoid contamination.
A clean, safe place to go.
Dishes are kept away from animals and waste.
Area around home is safe and clean.
FINANCIAL UPDATE:
“We are confident Lifewater’s work will have life-sustaining impact and be done well.”
*All financial figures are rolling 12 months through November 2017. $4.9
million
$3.4
million
45%
2016
2017
$4.2
$3.1
million
million
37%
2016
2017
CARY A. PAINE, THE STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION
Financial accountability and good stewardship matter. Learn more: lifewater.org/financial-stewardship
GIVING
EXPENSES
A PERSISTENT WIDOW IS REWARDED
A WIDOW’S
STRENGTH How a Poor Family in Cambodia Found Health
El Lot at home with her children
EVEN THOUGH EL LOT HAS BEEN STRUGGLING IN POVERTY, SHE HASN’T GIVEN UP.
O U TA KO K Cambodia
In a rural part of Cambodia called Ta Siem
the ceramic filter, and proudly fills bottles
Commune is a village called Ou Ta Kok.
with it to send with the children to school.
It’s a small village—just 215 families and
Now that the family is drinking safe
a little more than 1,000 people—but it is
water, they are healthy and strong.
also the most vulnerable village in Ta Siem Commune. Every day, the people of Ou Ta
“Before I engaged with Lifewater, my
Kok collect water from a swamp to use for
children would have high fever, regularly
drinking, bathing and household chores.
have the common cold and intestinal problems,” says El Lot. “Now my children
One of the most vulnerable people in Ou Ta Kok is a mother named El Lot.
One of the most vulnerable people in Ou
have good health and so do I. And now,
Ta Kok is a mother named El Lot. At 33
I am strong enough to do the work in
years old, El Lot is a poor widow with four
the fields.”
children ranging in age from 12 to one and a half years old. She works hard growing, harvesting and selling cassava and makes an astonishing $5 per day, which is not
Now that the family is drinking safe water, they are healthy and strong.
enough to care for her children. The
Even in her dire circumstances struggling
family has been collecting water from the
as a poor widow in rural Cambodia, El
swamp, which regularly causes sickness.
Lot worked hard, was a good steward
Even though El Lot has been struggling in
of her money and was able to overcome.
poverty, she hasn’t given up.
She hopes the same will happen for other
El Lot saved whatever money she could to register for a ceramic filter and latrine, a program made possible by generous Lifewater donors like you. She started learning about the Vision of a Healthy
people in her community. “I really want all villagers in my community to get the filter,” says El Lot. “It’s really important for families to have clean water for using and drinking.”
Village, and decided to put what she learned into practice. She worked together SWA MP WATER El Lot’s children suffered from frequent fevers and illness due to water-borne diseases
with her nine-year-old son, Hong Kim Li to build a latrine for the family. Now she’s
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORK IN CAMBODIA: LIFEWATER.ORG/CAMBODIA
able to purify the water she collects with
Lifewater Winter 2018 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G
BENSA Ethiopia
BBQ Brings Water & Toilets to 5 Schools BY GOD’S GRACE, THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN IN ETHIOPIA CAN NOW STAY IN SCHOOL. Thank you to our sponsors!
Guests at the 2017 Lifewater BBQ
“Lifewater is so grateful for the
Fundraiser opened their hearts for kids
generosity of its sponsors, volunteers,
in need and donated over $165,000, which
and attendees who made this a truly
fully funds safe water, dignified latrine
beautiful night and a tremendous
blocks, and student-led WASH Clubs in
success,” says Lifewater VP of
five schools in Ethiopia.
Philanthropy, Christine Zurbach.
Hosted by our presenting sponsor,
This year’s event, which will be the
Barrelhouse Brewing Co., the BBQ was a
third annual Lifewater BBQ, is already
great time. Nearly 400 attendees bid on
scheduled for Sunday, September 30th,
dozens of silent and live auction items
2018. It will be held at Barrelhouse
donated by local businesses, including a
Brewery & Beer Gardens in Paso
trip for two to visit Lifewater projects in
Robles. Last year’s event sold out, so we
Uganda. Guests enjoyed local food and
encourage you to save the date!
refreshments from Ribline and other Central Coast establishments. Plus, they were treated to a first-person experience in an Ethiopian school room with our virtual reality/360 video headset.
SAVE THE DATE: 2018 LIFEWATER BBQ FUNDRAISER & AUCTION SEPTEMBER 30, 2018
ETHIOPIA
Praying Across Borders LESSONS IN PERSEVERANCE, TRUST & IMPORTING DRILL RIGS A reflection by Lifewater Ethiopia Country Director, Zerihun Hailu, on the long drill rig approval process by the Ethiopian government.
I have had a number of sleepless nights since the third week of June. We live in the modern era but in different worlds. In the West, almost everything is made
around us to break any worldly walls.
When we persevere and pray, God does his work and we rejoice.
immediately available, but in Africa we
Romans 12:12 says, “Be joyful in hope,
can spend hours, weeks, months, or years
patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
working toward something, and still
This verse teaches us how we should
may fail to accomplish it. On this long
behave, live, and serve. When we love
journey to getting the drill rig approved,
the people we serve, we persevere and
why were you so patient? You could have
pray constantly. When we persevere and
stopped your efforts and moved on to
pray constantly, God does his work and
something else with quicker results.
we rejoice. Those who benefit from our
For us, this process was a lesson. We need to demolish certain walls to reach the unreached people of God. Where do we get the energy required to penetrate such walls? Through prayer and patience! As the saying goes, patience is a virtue and good
ministry will rejoice, too. The people in West Arsi and Bensa shall drink from safe as well as holy waters! God is great! Thank you for your extreme patience. Thank you for loving the poor and obeying God’s commandment in deed.
things come to those who wait. By being faithful, we are filled by BILL THE DR ILL The new drill rig is named in memory of our founder, William A. Ashe.
the Lord’s Holy Spirit and gain the mighty power within and
ZERIHUN HAILU OVERSEES ALL OPERATIONS IN ETHIOPIA, INCLUDING THE NEW DRILLING TEAM.
1,000 Villages is a positive, immersive experience where you’ll get a first-hand look at communities working hard to create change for their families. Along with enjoying food, drinks and music, you can take a virtual reality visit to villages in Africa and Asia, explore an interactive map and see photos of families waiting for a safe water source.
Event Tour 2018 EV EN T TOUR DATE S
For more information, visit lifewater.org/events
4/6
San Diego, CA
5/19
4/7
Orange County, CA
5/20 Portland, OR
10/13 Boise, ID
4/27 Grand Rapids, MI
9/8
Denver, CO
10/14 Bentonville, AR
4/29 Kalamazoo, MI
9/8
San Francisco, CA
10/27 Phoenix, AZ
5/12
9/9
Sacramento, CA
11/3
Salisbury, MD
Seattle, WA
Save a Life Every Month For just $40 each month, you can give a new person a lifetime of clean water, sanitation and hygiene. Twelve months, twelve lives changed forever. You can make it happen.
9/28 Ventura, CA
Indianapolis, IN
S PO N SO R A
Village Water Project Build a well to serve a village of 300+ people, plus get: - A program overview of village and region - Progress updates throughout project - A final report and certificate of completion
BECOME A WATER HERO AT
Call or click to learn more
LIFEWATER.ORG/MONTHLY
(805) 541-6634 Lifewater.org/WaterProject