Remembering God’s Gift of Water
Did you know that water is mentioned more than 600 times in the Bible? That’s more often than faith, hope or prayer.
It doesn’t take long for water to be the focus of scripture. In Genesis 1:1-2 the NLT translation states: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”
Water is such an essential component of life, God provided for it on the very first day creation. Water flows throughout both the Old and New Testaments.
In Revelation, water is mentioned 17 times, and it’s included in the closing sentences of the Bible. Revelation 22:17 says: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.”
These verses are important reminders of God’s gift of water, both spiritually and physically. As Christians, we’re asked to share the gifts God has bestowed on us. So, what better way to show the love of Christ than to share the gift of water with Guatemalans who don’t have access to it?
Guatemala’s water crisis
In 2017, Guatemala’s Environmental Ministry found that 95% of surface water sources in the country were polluted and unsafe for swimming, washing or drinking. Due to lack of regulations and policies—including water pollution laws and resource management—limited access to potable water affects the country’s most vulnerable populations, people living in Guatemala’s rural communities.
More than 20 percent of the population living in rural areas do not have access to clean water. More than 50 percent of rural residents don’t have access to clean water on a regular basis. Droughts, floods and contamination interrupt the flow regularly. In the case of small children, lack of clean water contributes to more than 1,000 deaths every year from gastrointestinal diseases and diarrhea. Children who do survive are likely to be underweight (malnourished) and experience poor oral health and chronic respiratory infections.
How much water do we need?
About 50 liters (13 gallons) of water per person per day is the minimum required to meet basic drinking, cooking and washing needs, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). That means a Guatemalan woman responsible for fetching water for a family of four, whose walk for water is a half hour round trip with a 20-liter jerry can, spends five hours a day—two and a half months per year—fetching water. And this assumes that potable water is available at all, which it is not in impoverished communities like La Limonada, the largest slum in all of Guatemala.
Providing clean water to the people of La Limonada is the mission of the Hope Center now under construction by Hope Renewed International (HRI). We’re happy to announce that the new water filtration system planned for the Hope Center is fully funded and ready to be built.
Additionally, a retail Water Store where residents can access clean water is an important part of the plan for the Hope Center. The Water Store will make clean water available to nearly 60,000 people in La Limonda. This will be the first reliable source of clean water that La Limonada residents have ever known!
As residents fill their water jugs at the Hope Center, our staff will be on hand and fully equipped to share the physical and spiritual nature of God’s precious gifts. We can hardly wait to hear how these “water” conversations prime the pump for more Guatemalans to accept God’s gift of salvation.
Our work isn’t done yet! We need jugs for residents to transport water, help with salaries to support staff members so they can share their faith, and much more. Please support our mission today!