Our Faith Calls Us To:
- Provide affordable water purification systems for people in all parts of the world.
- Partner with community organizations to be responsible for the installation, operation and maintenance of the water purification system.
- Assist in development of health and hygienic education that stimulates the demand for and the understanding of the benefits of purified water.
"How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action."
Mission to Mexico from the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley
Living Waters for the World is the mission project of the Synod of Living Waters of the Presbyterian Church, U S A. The project was first conceived in the early 90's by Wil Howie, a psychologist-turned-minister who believed that the Synod of Living Waters of which he is a member, could literally bring life-saving, "living" waters to people in need throughout the world. Adopted by the Synod Hunger Network in late 1992, the full Synod approved this mission project at the Spring 1993 meeting. The first water purification unit was installed in Reynosa, Mexico in 1996.
From this humble beginning, that was designed and is continually being improved by a group of Presbyterian engineers and others has now been installed at 13 sites in Mexico, Honduras, Haiti and Belize. Partnership with local mission groups is the key concept in this mission. Through local partnerships, community development and health education are an integral part of each installation.
The need for purified water is overwhelming. One half of the world's population consumes unclean water, resulting in the death of a child every eight seconds from water-related illnesses. Living Waters for the World is a clear example of the church being involved in people's lives in a real, tangible way. Children are being saved from certain illness and deadly complications that come from dirty water, which has been the only kind of water available to them and their parents. The goal of Living Waters for the World is within five years to be installing twelve water purification systems per year, delivering the water of life and sowing God's word to those who thirst.
