In January 2019, I experienced my very first mission trip to Guatemala. This was the most eye opening experience I have ever had, leading me to fulfill my position on the team. This forced me to get out of my comfort zone to really SEE what was going on outside of the bubble I live in. Since I live in San Diego with everything accessible, it is hard to imagine what life could be like without everything we could possibly need.
Once we got to Guatemala, I immediately felt a disconnect since they speak a different language, (Spanish) and I am so out of practice from learning it years ago in middle school. This is something I am determined to learn so I can drop that barrier in me, and communicate with them to help them even more. Once we were able to drive around, my eyes were in disbelief. All of the roads are dirt roads, there is trash EVERYWHERE, the houses are made out of adobe, corrugated sheet metal, wooden planks, or palm thatching, they live without furniture except for beds, cook on wooden sticks with ashes flying everywhere, there is no privacy, no clean water, some don’t even have running water for eight days straight, no electricity, dirt floors, no doors, outdoor toilets or no toilets at all, the list goes on and on. There is so much need and hurt in this country, it is so hard to wrap my mind around.
Since water is the most essential element of life, it is most important to us that we start there. 844 million people lack access to clean drinking water. If that does not change, how can any difference be made in their country on their own without our help?
The start of Water4Life Global’s impact began when our team went to Guatemala with 350 water filters packed in IKEA bags for safe arrival. We went to 11 different villages providing over 2,500 children/family members with safe drinking water! The feelings I received from watching these families faces light up was surreal. They expressed so much joy and love for what we had for them. I received so many hugs from mainly the mothers who just knew this would change their families lives. We gave them HOPE for a future and a solution to so many problems.
The gift of clean water is a game changer for these families that are losing so many members (mainly children) from drinking contaminated water. It gives them OPPORTUNITY! Something we take for granted here in the land of the free. You could just tell they know there is much more to life but feel they have no way out. Water 4 Life Global is here to continue to touch the hearts of many with the gift of clean drinking water. With the support of people like you we can continue our work. With just as little as $25, you can provide an entire family with over 500,000 gallons of clean drinking water! Can you imagine how many lives you can save if you gave this once a month? Please let this sink in and if it pulls on your heart strings we would love for you to join our Clean Water Tribe by simply clicking the donate button.
Make a Donation