Pipeline, Winter 2006 by Living Water International

PIPELINE REACHING THE WORLD WITH WATER & THE WORD WINTER 2006

YOU MUST GO TO KNOW

THIS ISSUE...

A RECORD-SETTING GALA

GO WITH LWI TO ISRAEL

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

THE HEALTH OF A VILLAGE

GOD AT WORK IN RWANDA

PUMP REPAIR TRAINING

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

What a delight to work with the amazing group of people that God has brought together through the worldwide network of Living Water International. The Lord continues to bring just the right people at just the right time to accomplish His purposes. An example of that is Dr. Otto Helweg and his wife, Virginia, who will be going to Africa in January to begin LWI’s work in Rwanda. (See related article.) The Lord has also opened a door for us to begin work in Zambia, and other new opportunities are on the horizon.

As we celebrate all that God has done and continues to do through LWI, we are

overwhelmed by His goodness and faithfulness. It gives us great hope and anticipation to consider all that He has in store for the future. I’m convinced that one of the reasons God continues to abundantly bless LWI is because we have adopted, embraced and seek to apply our core values to honor God, develop people, pursue excellence and be good stewards. We give a considerable amount of time and attention to these guiding principles, and are always looking for ways we can grow and improve personally and organizationally. We believe that an organizational culture based on these values will attract like-minded believers with a passion for God and His kingdom purposes. We are so grateful for the people around the country and the world that God is raising up for His kingdom. Pray with us as we seek to fan the ﬂames of God’s activity, cooperate with Him and be His instruments of righteousness.

LWI AROUND THE WORLD

AND THE WINNER IS... This year LWI hosted a Reunion Brunch on Saturday following the annual gala. Guests who had never been on a mission trip with LWI were asked to print their name on a slip of paper to enter to win a mission trip to Central America. Guests who had already been on a mission trip entered a drawing for a door prize. LWI is pleased to announce that Marlane Minton won the mission trip, and Dr. Peter Kwan won the door prize, a crystal globe.

PIPELINE VOLUME 5

NUMBER 4

LIVING WATER INTERNATIONAL

Executive Director

Gary Evans

President

Jerry Wiles

Vice President

Lew Hough

Vice President

Tim Mulville

Vice President

Bruce Whitmire

Living Water International exists to demonstrate the love of God by providing desperately needed clean water and medical attention, along with the living water of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which alone satisﬁes the deepest thirst.

PIPELINE is published quarterly by Living Water International to raise awareness about the global water crisis and to inspire Christians everywhere to respond with compassion to the needy of the world. We welcome your stories, comments and/or address changes. Send them to: The Editor, Pipeline, PO Box 35496, Houston, TX 77235-5496 or e-mail the editor: pipeline@water.cc. Living Water International is a nonproﬁt Christian organization and tax exempt by the IRS under code section 501(c)(3). Gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law. Contributions are solicited with the understanding that the donee organization has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

YOU MUST GO TO KNOW GOD’S MAINTENANCE CREW LWI Pump Repair Training teaches practical ways to keep water ﬂowing from world’s broken pumps

THE HEALTH OF A VILLAGE ON THE COVER Lonnie Burleson with children from Nueva

The health of a village does not depend on clean water alone, but also on how a village uses it

Belen, Guatemala. LWI plans to lead 47 mission trips in 2007, 14 of which will go to Guatemala.

10 GOD AT WORK

EVANGELICAL

PRESS ASSOCIATION

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MEET THE STAFF

RECORD-SETTING GALA WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

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YOU MUST GO TO KNOW the story of nine missionaries in Nueva Belen, Guatemala

“ Realizing that God is prepared to act in any situation we face, no matter how difﬁcult, makes life really exciting.” — Jerry Wiles

It’s been said that God does His best work under the most difficult circumstances and with the greatest amount of opposition. That truth was certainly demonstrated to the Living Water International mission team in Guatemala September 23 through 30. The trials and testing started early Monday morning on the way to the village of Nueva Belen near the coast of southwest Guatemala, when the axle on the DR20 drill rig broke. LWI’s country director, Jaime Torres, with a little help from the team, used a pick handle as a splint, along with some straps and bicycle inner tubes, to temporarily repair it. We were back on our way with only about one hour delay. Well, that was just the beginning of a week-long adventure of seeing God intervene to solve a number of problems. With every problem or difficulty we encountered, our team leader, Ken Kirchner, gathered us for prayer, or just asked a group of us to pray. By around noon on that first day, and about 35 feet down in the borehole, we encountered some kind of cavity and lost eight barrels (400 gallons) of bentonite in the hole. That meant we had to find another location for the well, and had lost about a day’s work.

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On the second day at the new drill site, the hydraulic went out on the DR20, a heavy rain storm came, keys were locked in the LWI suburban and 55 feet of drill pipe was lost in the hole. Ken and Jaime both said they had never before experienced so many problems and difficulties on a mission trip. During the week, we discussed how every negative has a positive, and the more negative the negative, the more positive the positive. Therefore, this trip turned out to be one of the most positive trips ever – from God’s perspective. Realizing that God is prepared to act in any situation we face, no matter how difficult, makes life really exciting. We really can give thanks in everything, as we’re told in I Thessalonians 5:18, and know that God is working all things together for our good, according to Romans 8:28. Even with all the problems and difficulties our team encountered, we completed a successful 75-foot well, set the pump, had a dedication ceremony and were on our way back to Antigua on Thursday evening. It was a joy to travel and work with our nine-member team from the U.S. and with Jaime, Lili, Alvaro and Jaime’s mother while in Guatemala. It was a great group of people to be with. We had no complainers or fault finders among us, and the villagers were a delight to work with as well. On the flight home from Guatemala City to Houston, I read Habakkuk 3:17-19 and reflected on the week. The following thoughts came to mind: Even though the axle breaks on the drill rig and eight barrels of bentonite are lost in the borehole, even though the drill team is drenched in the rain and the keys are locked in the Suburban, even though the hydraulic goes out on the DR20 and 55 feet of drill pipe is dropped in the well, yet I will triumph, be joyful and glad in the Lord. I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord gives me strength. He makes me sure-footed as a deer in the mud and pits, and keeps me safe on the Guatemala roads.

The openness and hospitality of the people was the most striking aspect of our trip. From the time our transport vehicle first pulled to a stop in the remote village school yard, when I was immediately embraced by the local mayor, to the last day at the new well when everyone – men, women and children – bid us farewell, we were enthusiastically received, and invited to come back any time as though we were the closest of long time friends. At the dedication of the well, the “alcalde municipal” (the highest district governmental official) thanked our drilling team profusely for coming to help his countrymen, thanked our families back home for supporting us and praised America and the U.S. government for allowing us to come help this village, where before “every well was unsafe for drinking.” Members of our team – from the big tough athletic types to salesmen, executives, a homemaker, a chemist, an interior decorator and a retired coal miner – were moved to tears of speechless humility. We were part of a one-week project that will save the lives of untold young children for decades to come from death via preventable diseases like cholera and dengue fever brought on by drinking unsafe water. Through the distribution of Bibles and showing the “Jesus” film, eternal destinies will be changed. In a village without electricity, cars or bathrooms, where many had never owned a book, each family now has their very own Bible in their own language to tell of the “agua viviente,” the living water through which they can also know the Living Savior just as we in America can know Him. No words can convey this experience. You must go to know!

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PIPELINE

With all that occurred, it is difﬁcult to choose the one miracle that stands out the most. I guess it would have to be when I realized the keys were locked in the Suburban and we had no spare! I was at a complete loss! How could this happen? What am I going to do? How am I going to get these people back to the hotel while it is still safe to travel? After all, they are my responsibility. I felt totally helpless. Looking back, all these thoughts crossed my mind in the blink of an eye. Of course I knew that I could do nothing at this point. I prayed – God, I don’t understand – as I continuously walked around the Suburban – I don’t understand. Then, just as the walls of Jericho fell after Joshua made his march, a man appeared with a key. This was not a car key; it was a Baja motorcycle key! The man placed the key in the lock, turned it and miraculously, the door opened! I was speechless as the gravity of the moment hit me. My Lord, our God, had performed a miracle in front of our eyes. There is no earthly explanation. God chose to send His Angel to open the door of the Suburban, and we were all witnesses to it! Jerry’s comment, “there can’t be a positive without a negative,” has stayed with me. Our trip had so many negatives, but our Lord turned them into positives.

Gratitude, joy, miracles and memories. For me, a novice on my ﬁrst mission trip out of the country, my responses centered in these four areas. With no prior experience at drilling of any kind, I set out to serve in whatever way I could. From the outset, I thanked God for the diverse, experienced group of people who came together to make life a little easier for the village dwellers. Despite adversities, such as a broken axle, setting up a second drill site, hydraulic going out, losing pipe down the hole and torrential rains, everyone worked as a team without complaint to accomplish the goal. Miracles, both large and small, abounded – the most astonishing when a Honda motor scooter key opened the locked doors to the Suburban that we needed for travel. Prayer works! But, the highlight of the trip arrived when we distributed Spanish translations of the Bible. I saw pure joy in the faces of the villagers as they clutched God’s Word to their chests. I was awestruck at witnessing their deep gratitude for something that we often take for granted in the States. Overall, I smiled so much that my face hurt, when working with the kids! Reaching the world with water and the Word, saving lives and changing destinies was indeed a privilege and an honor.

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What would I say if someone asked me what I experienced during my week in Guatemala? Aside from getting to know our new good friend and chief driller Jaime, his wife, Lili, and most valued assistant driller Alvaro, it would be the pleasure of becoming acquainted with a small group of people living in what most North Americans would consider a state of poverty. Initially, I also saw them as such, but straight away realized I had much to learn from them also. Admittedly, the people of Nueva Belen did not possess material goods, but did possess many admirable characteristics we Americans oftentimes fail to exhibit. I discovered a group of people who were very friendly, hard working and always eager to help. They’re also very resourceful, using what was on hand to skillfully master any task put before them. The hospitality of these gentle souls broke my heart. The children were adorable, always with a quick smile. That’s what I remember most, those beautiful smiles. Unfortunately, those young smiles can quickly be erased by exposure to the only water available to drink. The village subsisted on shallow, easily contaminated hand-dug wells. All the kindness, resourcefulness and hospitality in the world will not prevent sickness due to contaminated water. Now, after our work there, I hope and pray the new well will provide an abundance of good, clean water for years to come. This can save lives. More importantly, I pray that they were able to “see” our hearts during our short time together, and realize why we would leave home and loved ones to travel many miles to share with them our love – not our love, but the love Christ has planted in our hearts. As team leader Ken reminded us many times – the words of St. Thomas Aquinas – preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words. This can change destinies.

How happy the people were who had so little. How gracious they were. How freely they gave to us the best that they had. How eagerly they served and assisted us in any way they could. It was a very humbling experience. How grateful they were to have clean water – to have a Bible of their own; how carefully they protected it from the rain. What a lesson for someone who has lived her entire life in a country where clean, safe water is available at the turn of a handle or the touch of a button – where numerous Bibles may line our shelves. “... For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required...” (Luke 12:48, AMP). We saw challenges and difﬁculties at almost every turn, yet we saw God’s solution and provision no matter what we encountered. We prayed a lot. We laughed a lot. We bonded with our team members. We came to love the people whom we were there to serve.

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PIPELINE

God’s Maintenance Crew

LWI Pump Repair Training teaches practical ways to keep water ﬂowing from world’s broken pumps

A single cow stared blandly at the blue-helmeted journeymen wading through dewy grass. They stopped beneath the old pole barn sheltering equipment that looked more like grand-scale toys than life-giving water pumps. It was the first brisk, cool week in October. These men — some from across the country, some from the other side of the world, others from just miles away — had made their way to Living Water International’s pump repair training in Cleveland, Texas. It was the last of this year’s three pump repair courses at Quantum Lakes. “In my country, this would be clean water,” Sudanese born Deng Riak said as he looked out the lodge window and nodded toward a grayish, brown lake outside. “Now I can tell them this is not clean — and I can show them where the clean water is.” Clean water is indeed the objective of LWI’s pump repair and drill training courses. With so many broken pumps and the enormous lack of clean water in the world’s developing countries, the ability to drill wells or repair water pumps is a priceless and precious commodity. “This course is a premier opportunity that lets students not only learn to diagnose what’s wrong,” said instructor Lance Whyle, “but they get the skills to do the right repair work.” Whyle, who owns an insurance agency in San Antonio, Texas, has spent years volunteering in both Central America and East Africa. Just last year in a small Tanzanian village, he encountered two broken water pumps entirely unfamiliar to him. Nonetheless, he was able to repair the pumps, bringing the first clean drinking water to the village in years. “The end result of the people’s joy as they pumped clean water was incredible,” Whyle reminisced. “But it was because of the principles I’d learned in LWI repair and drilling courses that I was able to figure things out.” Deng Riak, eager to get started, had his own reasons for wanting to learn to repair water pumps. Alongside the other men, the thin young man with onyx skin is far from the southern Sudanese homeland he someday hopes to help again. “I want to use these new skills to bring water to people who have none,” Riak said as he carefully surveyed one of the pumps he would repair over the next several hours. Only upon gentle prodding does Riak share the story of how he made his way to the United States in 2001 following a narrow escape from Sudan. He first landed in Ethiopia, then Kenya. In these border countries, Riak spent four and ten years respectively. For a full 17 years, he had no idea what became of his family. Then in 2003, he learned his mother and older brother were alive — but living in Darfur. He was able to make arrangements to have them resettled, still in Sudan, but away from what became the genocidal war against black Africans. Riak can’t think of a better way to use his hands than helping bring clean drinking water to those in need, and he isn’t alone. His fellow pump repair students, intent on learning not only the intricacies of what is broken and how it might be repaired, spent time listening to other instruc-

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Above: Trainer William Nussbaum (right) helps Doug Knudson and Barry Frishman diagnose the problem with the Afridiv.

Left: Peter Swann, Director of AidSudan, LWI’s Dennis Anderson and Victor Majok work on the German-made Kardia pump. Swann, Anderson, Russell Jonas and LWI’s Brad Saltzman traveled to southern Sudan shortly after this training course to repair broken hand pumps for the Jur people. Below: Russell Jonas, Bill Moon and Deng Riak work together to bring pipe up to diagnose and repair this India Mark II. Both Riak and Victor Majok are considered part of the “Lost Boys” from southern Sudan. They, along with thousands of other Sudanese boys, ﬂed the country nearly two decades ago when their villages were burned to the ground.

tions and nuances surrounding the acquisition of clean water. As LWI trainers Whyle, Larry Bentley, William Nussbaum and Brad Saltzman imparted technical aspects of equipment repair, they conveyed, too, the need to improvise in the absence of tools and the importance of respect for indigenous cultures and traditions while in the field. “In Tanzania’s Mrumba village, the pump was ready to go — and the men were set to start pumping,” Whyle said with a laugh. “But in these villages, it’s the women and children who go out and get the water. So we called them. We waited, and when they came, they were among the first to see and feel the clean water that would now serve more than 1,500 people for the first time in twelve years.” Student Barry “Captain Barry” Frishman, who owns a successful cruise and expedition company in Virginia, could hardly contain his excitement as the day progressed and each student repaired one of the 12 different pumps at least once, and repeatedly diagnosed simulated breaks that would be common in the field. “I’m stoked,” Frishman looked up from his work, a wide grin creasing his features. Frishman now uses his work to fund his mission trips in the off season. After the tsunami hit South Asia in December 2004, Frishman impulsively flew to Sri Lanka with nothing more than his backpack, not knowing what he would do when he arrived. He simply wanted to help, to serve. He took his first LWI mission trip in September to Guatemala with LWI president Jerry Wiles, and soon plans to go to Liberia. “This is what I want to do,” he said. “I’m on fire for this.” If you would like to know more about LWI’s training opportunities, call 281.207.7800, or visit www.water.cc/training.

Above: At LWI training courses, trainers teach students to practice everything they are taught as if they were in the ﬁeld. With trainer Lance Whyle, students pray over the Volanta pump before they attempt to diagnose and repair it. Trainers even teach students the importance of bartering for parts in the ﬁeld, as well as the importance of respecting local customs and elders.

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PIPELINE

THE HEALTH OF A VILLAGE

by Patricia Patyrak

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As our team arrived in Leon, Nicaragua, we had several goals: provide clean water, communicate life-saving hygiene principles to the village and above all, to show the love of Christ to those we would meet. This team came together from all across the country – Washington, D.C., Colorado, Michigan and Houston. While the drilling team was setting up the drill rig, the hygiene team started out their week full of prepared lessons by purposefully listening to the people of Hato Grande #2, a small village just 20 minutes outside of Leon. They asked them about their current water source, what kind of sickness they deal with and their current lifestyle surrounding water and health. As I took breaks from drilling and playing with the children, I listened in on some of the hygiene lessons. One group was explaining how important it is to drink enough clean water every day. One man from the village asked, “How do we know if we are drinking enough water?” LWI ﬁeld representative Chris Wilson shared that when you are healthy and are drinking enough water, your urine will be clear; if it’s a dark yellow color, it means you are not drinking enough water. A couple of the adults giggled at her response. When the translator asked what was funny, they responded by saying that to them clear urine means you are sick and dark urine means you are healthy. I was amazed to hear that their rationale was the complete opposite of the truth, but then again, this was their reality. The hygiene team knew that their goal for the week was to work alongside the village to share simple hygiene concepts that we take for granted, such as washing hands and germ transmission. Chris informed us that the Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) would be a life-saving lesson for the village, because a baby had died from dehydration in a nearby community. Hygiene team member Lisa Hartman felt that the most important lesson she taught was the ORS. “Teaching them how to give it to themselves and [their] families can heal them from sickness and save lives,” she said. Chris Wilson and I had the opportunity to walk through the community and visit with

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1: Girl using tippy tap. 2: Teaching children about handwashing. 3: Jatana Jackson uses the diarrhea doll to demonstrate the effects of treating diarrhea with clean water. 4: Chris Wilson reads to children. 5: A villager trims the sucker rod to ﬁt the hand pump. This same man attended hygiene training as well, and requested a tippy tap for his family. 6: Drilling team lowering pipe. 7: Jen Hurst helps a little girl with the tippy tap.

people to ask about their current water source. This community was utilizing five contaminated hand-dug wells. When asked about waterborne illnesses, many spoke of having fever, vomiting and diarrhea. One man we spoke with explained that he does not get sick from the water, but many people get skin rashes from bathing with the water. As we examined some of the hand-dug wells, almost all had ants and cockroaches on the walls of the well, and gnats and a film of bacteria on the surface of the water. In fact, during our conversation with the man, we noticed a pig urinating on the side of the open well. Towards the end of the week, the hygiene team saw more children using the tippy tap and more adults attending the hygiene classes. The hygiene team left the tippy tap at the school near the well in hopes that they would continue to use it. One of the men from the village that had helped the drilling team and attended some hygiene classes asked the hygiene team if he could have a tippy tap made for his family at home. At the well dedication, LWI field representative Phil Wilson spoke about the well being a gift from God not from man. He told the village that in a couple of weeks, he wanted them to forget about the team from the U.S. that came to drill this well, but to remember that God was the one that provided the well. Team member Josh Jackson remembers that the mission was clear - they were there to bring clean water. “It is something that is so overwhelming to experience - finding clean water for a group of people who had none. How much must God take great joy in providing for us because He loves us? It is amazing to feel the heart of God.” Hygiene team member Richard Wing saw that the most important lesson that week was carrying and storing water. “If they do not store the water that they collect from the new well properly, no amount of clean water will improve the health of the village,” he said. “It is so important to keep the water in clean containers.” Living Water International not only provides clean, safe water and the gospel to those in need, but also teaches villages simple, life-saving principles through hygiene education. To learn more about LWI’s hygiene education program, visit www.water.cc/training, call 616.499.1396 or e-mail jodi@water.cc.

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PIPELINE

GOD AT WORK COUNTRY: RWANDA VOLUNTEER: DR. OTTO J. HELWEG

W by Stan Patyrak

With 1.1 billion people still lacking access to safe water, the need is neither simple nor isolated, and can appear overwhelming. Living Water International is commonly asked how decisions are made on where to begin new projects. An overwhelming “synergy” exists as we consider movement into a new place to give new communities a cup of water in Jesus’ name. As He has done for the last 15 years, God begins to create a path of combined resources, networked individuals, clear vision and a willing person “on the ground” for initial oversight over the many details surrounding extensive water projects in a new country. Such is the case for Rwanda, as LWI looks to begin work there in early 2007. It is hard to imagine that this country lost almost a million from her population (more than ten percent) through a 1994 genocide that the world community

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largely ignored. It may be even harder to imagine that more than ten years later, almost half of the population lacks access to safe, clean water. In the midst of this “synergy” surrounding Rwanda, God led LWI to Dr. Otto J. Helweg. In 2003, Jerry Wiles first heard of Dr. Helweg while he was speaking at a men’s group at the Army & Navy Club about LWI and the water needs around the world. After several correspondences and a visit to the LWI office, Dr. Helweg became a volunteer for LWI after retiring. “I did a little research about LWI and was impressed. I later visited the LWI office in Houston and was even more impressed. LWI was doing two things right: low overhead and delivering water via low tech pumps using a semi-portable drilling rig. It was obvious this organization knew how to deal with the cultures in developing countries.” Dr. Helweg is far more than just a willing man on the ground. He has been well equipped through years of experience. As a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Dr. Helweg has spent more than 10 years working in developing countries, consulting in groundwater quality control and designing water supply systems. In 1983 he was selected as the national Ground Water Scientist of the Year, as the outstanding Civil Engineer in

Inset: Dr. Helweg, a native of Arkansas, discovers a Razorback fan in Rwanda. Far Left: A boy plays in a stream, holding the jerry can that he will use to carry the very same water home to his family. Just a few feet away, women wash their families’ clothes. Left: A muddy water source in Rwanda.

Above: A province engineer discusses an irrigation plan with Dr. Helweg. Left: These orphans survived the 1994 genocide and now live at a Christian school set up for that purpose.

the state of Tennessee in 1994, and a year later was selected as the most outstanding engineer in the Mid South. He was also given the Distinguished Research Award at The University of Memphis, and in 1997 received the Hoover Award for a lifetime of humanitarian efforts. As an engineer and educator, Dr. Helweg’s work has saved innumerable lives, brought relief from disease and hunger and hope to people throughout the world. His involvement in civic and humanitarian causes began at the beginning of his career and carries on with the water needs in Rwanda today. After a recent trip to Rwanda, Dr. Helweg discovered that this country is not atypical in Africa. “The women spend from two to five hours a day collecting water, the kind of water you would not even give to your dog. Everyone who has read LWI’s literature knows that every 15 seconds a child dies from contaminated water and 80 percent of the hospital patients are there because of unclean water. Drilling water wells is a new concept to this country and this, of course, is LWI’s forte.” As you can imagine, implementation of new projects in a new country for LWI can require great oversight and attention. As soon as a drill rig is in-country, Dr. Helweg will start training a crew and begin drilling the wells. They hope to drill 60 wells the first year and increase the production thereafter. “Bringing potable water will not only reduce deaths and sickness,” he said, “ but women will have two to five more hours a day to engage in cottage industries to earn additional income. Also, hospitals will be less crowded and the economy of Rwanda will thrive and improve because of the healthy people.” Please pray for LWI, those we are seeking to serve and Dr. Helweg as we seek to train and equip nationals to bring a cup of water in Jesus’ name to Rwanda.

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PIPELINE

Meet the many faces of LWI as our staff and volunteers share a bit of themselves with you. To ﬁnd out how we ended up at LWI and to read our testimonies, visit our Web site, www.water.cc.

ELLEN WORTHINGTON ACCOUNTING

MONTHS WITH LWI: 5 WHERE WERE YOU BORN?: San Antonio, TX I like the supportive atmosphere at LWI as well as knowing that I’m contributing to the bigger picture of humankind.

SANDRA GROBE

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT YEARS WITH LWI: 6 WHERE WERE YOU BORN?: Alvin, TX What I like the most about LWI is its loving, family atmosphere. We have fellowship/prayer time together every morning. I feel like my co-workers genuinely love and care about one another. We work as a team and seek God in all that we do. I don’t feel like this is a job, but that God has given each one of us the PRIVILEGE of serving Him through LWI.

RITA HOUGH

MISSION TRIP COORDINATOR - GUATEMALA YEARS WITH LWI: 7 WHERE WERE YOU BORN?: Del Rio, TX I love taking people on LWI trips and watching God change their perspectives.

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A Record-Setting Gala

Eighth annual gala raised unprecedented $1.5 million! by Melanie Dewveall

Living Water International marked its eighth annual gala with a special celebration honoring God’s faithfulness through 15 full years of ministry. More than 650 people attended the gala at Houston’s InterContinental Hotel on November 3. God blessed the ministry with a record-setting event. An estimated $1.5 million was raised – more than twice the amount raised at any previous LWI gala. Television veterans Deborah Duncan and Cynthia Hunt emceed the event, and Christian music group Watermark performed. The evening was truly a celebration of God’s guidance and faithfulness, as he took a small group of people with a vision and turned it into a water ministry with a worldwide reach. Pastor Fenton and Mary Moorhead were honored with The Harry Westmoreland Award for their support, dedication and inspiration in LWI’s formative years, as well as their efforts to advance the awareness of the critical need for safe, clean water in the developing world. Vic and Linda Ballard received the Volunteer of the Year Award for their thousands of hours spent at LWI’s training program at Quantum Lakes. LWI co-founder and Executive Director Gary Evans was surprised and honored with a framed leaf from the ﬁrst family Bible printed in America. Evans has been involved with the ministry from the beginning and has been the executive director since 1996. In his presidential report, LWI President Jerry Wiles said the ministry has completed more than 3,200 water projects to date that currently serve more than 5 million people daily. Still, he said, more than 1 billion people in the world lack access to clean water. LWI also hosted a Reunion Brunch on Saturday, November 4, at the LWI headquarters in Stafford, Texas. Approximately 200 people visited the LWI ofﬁce to share stories and testimonies about LWI mission trips and training courses.

Top: Famed Christian band Watermark helped LWI celebrate 15 years by leading us in worship at this year’s gala. Bottom: LWI’s founding families. Left to right: Harry Westmoreland, JoAnn Westmoreland, Larry Laird, Rosemary Laird, Gary Evans, Sharon Evans, Mary Moorhead, Fenton Moorhead and not pictured, Gary Loveless.

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED Take the H2O Challenge!

GoodSearch.com

Moving from consumption to contribution.

Searching the Web pays off

The H2O Project is a fundraising project offered to youth groups, bible studies and churches that helps create awareness about the global water crisis and encourages groups to be part of the solution! Groups from all over the country are taking the challenge to make water their only beverage for two weeks and save the money normally spent on juice, soda, energy drinks or coffee to donate to a well drilling organization such as Living Water International. The money is not taken out of your savings or tithing; this is money that you were already going to spend. If you are interested in this project, please visit the website for free materials at http://livingwater.theh2oproject.org.

What if you could raise money for LWI just by searching the Internet? Now you can at GoodSearch.com! GoodSearch.com is powered by Yahoo! and operates like any other search engine, except that GoodSearch shares its advertising revenue with charities and schools. There’s even a toolbar to download so you can search from the top of your browser window. Go to www.goodsearch.com and designate Living Water International as your charity of choice. The more people use the site, the more money LWI will earn, so please spread the word!

ONE - The Campaign To Make Poverty History Living Water International is partnering with the ONE campaign to make poverty history. ONE believes that allocating an additional ONE percent of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world’s poorest counties. Visit www.one.org to ﬁnd out how you can lend your voice to ﬁght against extreme poverty.

PhilanthroCorp Leaving a lasting legacy. Imagine making a gift to Living Water International that will not only bring clean water and the message of Jesus Christ to the thirsty and dying, but would also provide you with ﬁxed, regular income payments for the rest of your life. This is possible through a charitable gift annuity, one of the most popular ways to support the future work of charitable organizations. You will also receive a charitable income tax deduction. To see if a Charitable Gift Annuity is right for you, please call PhilanthroCorp at 1.800.876.7958 or visit the website at www.plannedgift.com.

CHARITY: MISSION: WATER New York based charity: has teamed up with Living Water International to bring clean, safe water to the people of Africa. The fledgling nonprofit seeks to bring greater global awareness and education about extreme poverty, provoking compassionate and intelligent giving, believing that widespread education and awareness are essential for change in this world. Charity: creates exhibitions and events to put the critical issues of water, sanitation, AIDS, hunger and preventable disease before the public to promote higher understanding and provide them with a way to be a part of the solution. This year charity: is presenting the water needs in Africa, and has teamed up with four nonprofit organizations to drill water wells in Uganda, Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Malawi. The ten-day water exhibition kicked off on September 22, 2006, in some of New York City’s notable parks, including Central Park, Union Square, Washington Square, Tompkins Square and Battery Park. They raised $20,000 by selling $20 bottles of water, with 100 percent of the proceeds going towards water projects in Africa. Living Water International will be receiving funding for water wells in Central African Republic. For more information on the exhibition, go to www.charityis.com. www.water.cc

PIPELINE

WATER & THE WORD IN

ISRAEL!

FEBRUARY 21 - MARCH 1, 2007 Join Jerry and Sheila Wiles on an exciting Bible study mission trip to Israel to better understand how water and the Word are necessary for life. Reserve your spot before December 21 by contacting Compass International, Inc. at 1.800.977.2177.

This Christmas, consider giving the gift of life!

Together, we can bless and change the world through the gift of water and the gift of Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love. Use the enclosed envelope or donate online at www.water.cc.

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

SUGAR LAND, TX PERMIT NO. 298

PO Box 35496 Houston, TX 77235-5496 877.594.4426 info@water.cc