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 9

Love that
Moves
IN THIS ISSUE:

YOUR IMPACT: OVER

150,000 PEOPLE SERVED

A COMMUNITY DIGS A
ROAD FOR CLEAN WATER

S HOWING CHRIST’S LOVE

TO STUDENTS IN UGANDA

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…” - Isaiah 55:1

L ET T ER FROM T H E CEO

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever

you did for one of the least of these brothers and
sisters of mine, you did for me.’” - Matthew 25:40
Each year, I get to spend time in remote villages where we
serve. What I see is this: communities working to improve
the lives of their children, people—often for the first
time—experiencing the fullness of Christ, and abundant,
safe water serving thousands.
L I F E WAT E R is a top-rated Christian non-
profit working with you 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

What incredible change you are making possible. Love is on

V IC E PR E S I DE N T OF PH I L A N T H ROP Y
the move, transforming life for families in extreme poverty, Christine Zurbach
and bringing change that will last for generations to come. christine@lifewater.org

In fact, our latest results show a 98% decrease in instances DI R E C T OR OF D ONOR R E L AT IONS
of diarrhea among families in Ethiopia. Diarrhea is Daren Wendell
daren@lifewater.org
an illness caused by unsafe water and the second
leading cause of death in children worldwide. That is an
R EGIONA L DIR ECTOR OF DONOR
astounding turnaround and new hope for the future. R EL ATIONS, W EST COA ST
Sean Martin
Love is literally moving in communities like Shote sean@lifewater.org
and Gisho, who hand-dug two miles of road from the
mountainside so Lifewater could enter their villages DONOR R EL ATIONS COOR DINATOR

with a truck of supplies. Love is moving in Lifewater Tyson Babayco

tyson@lifewater.org
supporters like our Board Chairman, Doug Headrick, who
has dedicated much of his life to serving and loving those
S TAY C ON N E C T E D
living in extreme poverty. I hope you’ll take a moment to 75 Zaca Lane Suite 100
read his story on page six. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

805-541-6634
And of course, love is moving in your own homes, giving of info@lifewater.org
yourself so that children and their families thirst no more. lifewater.org

Glad to serve with you, 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.
Justin Narducci
President/CEO
Lifewater International
 Lasting Impact
Your giving is making a difference in the lives of thousands of
families and children in extreme poverty. Thank you!

151,471 People Served (+31%)

421 113 98%

Active Village Certified Healthy Water Point
Water Projects Villages (+23%) Sustainability
(+38%)

FINA NCI A L S SUPPORT ER S “I am deeply encouraged by how

Lifewater International has taken
$5.7
$5.4 $5.4
million
million 4233 the principles in When Helping
million
$4.1 3802 Hurts and applied them to create a
million
relational, long-term, asset-based,
Christian clean-water charity.”

B R I A N F I KKE RT
co-author of When Helping
Hurts: How to Alleviate
GIVING EXPENSES GIVING EXPENSES 2018 2017
Poverty without Hurting
the Poor… and Yourself
20 18 2017 S U PPO RT E R S

All financial and program information current as of 31 December 2018.

Ministry partnership information is tracked internally and can only be shared discretely due to its sensitive nature.
Data current at time of printing. Visit lifewater.org/projects for an up-to-date list of projects needing funding.
 A V I L L AG E B U I L D S A R OA D F O R C L E A N WAT E R

DETERMINED
TO RISE

How a Community Dug its Way to Progress

Community members on the road they built

BY WORKING TOGETHER,
TWO COMMUNITIES MADE
CLEAN WATER A REALITY KOKOSA ,
Ethiopia

Kokosa, Ethiopia is a pastoral area, and they also developed an ability to

surrounded by rolling green hills, grazing work together and unify; it brought the
cows, and tended by the rough hands of community together.”
those who work the land.
When the road and piping were completed,
When they had Getting to villages like Shote and Gisho in Lifewater’s engineers customized a
the opportunity to Kokosa is a challenge. It’s one of the reasons system to provide clean water from their
have abundant,
clean water, these communities were selected—they previously unsafe spring and ensured the
families worked are remote villages with significant need, piping led to the tap stands in their village.
side by side every
day until the road and they’ve received little to no help from
A community’s commitment to their own
was complete. other organizations or the government.
progress is what makes that progress last.
When members of the community heard
“God came to us and changed our
that Lifewater was having trouble
suffering through sending Lifewater
accessing the village with the truck
to our community,” Buja Bedha said. “It
of construction supplies, they decided
tremendously changed our lives from
they’d build a road—with their own bare
darkness and hopelessness to a hopeful
hands. Using pickaxes and shovels, men,
and bright one.”
women, and children chipped away at the
rocks and into the hillsides. For two long Today, village-elected water committee
months, they dug and lifted and dreamt members collect monthly maintenance
of their new water source. fees to be used when repairs are
eventually needed. Collections are roughly
Together, they dug nearly two
35 cents a month, an amount that’s much
miles of road.
less than what they were paying for
When the truck came, they carried large treatment of waterborne illnesses.
rocks, concrete, and sand to the places—
Because the communities of Shote
like the steep uphill spring—where
and Gisho worked together, the future
no road could be built. The materials
is bright.
amounted to 8 tons of sand, 32 tons of
SA FE WATER stone and 108 bags of cement.
Community members YOU CAN HELP OTHER VILLAGES LIKE
gather joyfully around SHOTE AND GISHO GET SAFE WATER.
Lifewater WASH Engineer Sarah Young
their new safe
LIFEWATER.ORG/ETHIOPIA
water source. said, “It made a huge difference [for us],

Lifewater Spring 2019 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G

CAMBODIA

W H E E L S 4 WAT E R R I D E R S C Y C L I N G F O R S A F E WAT E R

Ride for Water. LIFEWATER BOARD

CHAIRMAN LAUNCHES

Ride for Hope. CYCLING ADVENTURE

IN CAMBODIA

Doug Headrick is the General Manager years of service later, Doug launched the
of a regional water agency in Southern Climb for Clean Water up Mt. Kilimanjaro.
California and an engineer. He’s leading a With him were 15 climbers inspired by
fundraising bike ride through Cambodia, his vision to raise funds for safe water;
and he wants you to join him. together, they served 16 villages.
DOUG HE A DR ICK
Join Doug (center) in “Being in a village when they celebrate “It’s adventure with purpose.” – Doug
January 2020 on a ride their new water supply is something
for clean water through Now, the longtime Lifewater supporter
Cambodia otherworldly. The singing and the
and Board Chairman has come up with
dancing.... the joy that comes from
his next adventure—the Ride for Clean
knowing that children are no longer
Water in Cambodia—and he’d like to take
going to be sick because of unsafe water,”
14 people with him. Each person will ride
Doug said.
from Angkor Wat to the Gulf of Thailand
Fifteen years ago, Doug was searching and will fund an entire village water
for a Christian nonprofit providing safe project in Cambodia.
water in developing countries, something
“You will know exactly the names and
he was passionate about and eager to join.
the faces of some of the people that your
He researched and prayed and nothing
efforts are helping,” Doug said.
seemed to present itself.
Please consider joining Doug on this next
“One day, I went to church and in the back
life-changing trip and give lasting, safe
was a big poster board for Lifewater,” he
water to many in Cambodia.
said. “[Lifewater’s] Chief Engineer was a
member of our church!”
JOIN THE RIDE FOR CLEAN
In just a couple of months, Doug was
WATER JANUARY 2020
interviewing to be a volunteer. Six LIFEWATER.ORG/W4WCAMBODIA
different countries and over a dozen

Lifewater Spring 2019 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G

 M AY U G E ,
Uganda

EMM A W ITH THE CHILDR EN OF BUSA A L A PR IM A RY SCHOOL , UGA NDA

Love in Both Big HOW ONE

STAFF MEMBER

and Small Things SERVES THE

VULNERABLE

“Whoever takes Service means showing the love of Jesus Waechter, Lifewater’s Deputy Director of
the lowly position in everything that we do, from large- Programs, recalled this about Emma.
of this child is the
scale water projects to the small actions
greatest in the “He sat at an empty table and it didn’t take
kingdom of heaven. and relationships in between.
long for the table to fill with children
And whoever
welcomes one such In the Mayuge district of Uganda, who clearly knew and loved him,” Julie
child in my name generous donors funded safe bathrooms, said. “Then, as other activities were going
welcomes me.”
a well, and two rainwater harvesting on, he quietly took out nail clippers and
M AT TH E W 1 8:4 -5
tanks for Busaala Primary School. It has began clipping their fingernails, and they
transformed life for students. were all so happy that they formed a line
to make sure they weren’t missed.”
Farouk, a student leader, said,
“We can drink this water without At schools, clipping nails is advised for
worrying about falling sick...we health because germs can be difficult for
are so grateful!” children to wash away from under their
nails. But, many homes and schools don’t
Before wells can be built, many small but
have nail clippers.
significant things must happen. Staff
begin a months’ long process to build Emma’s acts of kindness show Christ’s
relationships with teachers and students, love to every student at Busaala Primary,
and to teach healthy habits that help so each child knows they are loved by
prevent the spread of disease. It is a labor God.
of love each day.
CHILDR EN
IN UGA NDA
Emmanuel “Emma” Kassajja is Lifewater’s
Children are healthier
SEVEN VILLAGES IN UGANDA NEED
now with clean water Sanitation and Hygiene Coordinator who
and hygiene. YOUR SUPPORT TODAY. LEARN MORE:
oversees the progress at Busaala Primary. LIFEWATER.ORG/UGANDA
Upon a routine visit to the school, Julie

Lifewater Spring 2019 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G

 Get Involved!
JOIN

A New Way to Serve a Child Each Month

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water for life to a new person each month.
IT’S NOT TOO EARLY TO PLAN AN
UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE

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LIFEWATER.ORG/OVERFLOW JUNE 2020

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September 29, 2019 VISIT LIFEWATER.ORG/OUTPOUR TODAY!

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