Imagine waking up tomorrow, and the first thing you have to do is walk three to six miles in order to collect and carry back enough water to last you and your family for the whole day. That’s a difficult start to your morning. Now imagine having to make that trek every single day.

That was a reality for Nandita, a mother living in West Bengal, India. On the days when she wasn’t feeling well enough to walk that far to get water, she would instead use water from the local pond, and her family would end up getting sick. Hear Nandita tell her story in her own words in the video below.

By God’s grace, Gospel for Asia was able to help provide a well directly in Nandita’s village. Today, she no longer travels for miles on foot each day to bring home water for her family. Now there is clean and accessible water just a few steps from her home.

On March 20, 2018, GFA released an in-depth article on the global clean water crisis, and it shows that Nandita is far from being alone in the struggles she has faced. Lack of access to clean water is a massive problem and more far-reaching than most of us probably realize. It’s not just limited to one corner of the world—this is a world-wide problem. For example, Cape Town, South Africa is in the midst of an extended drought, and the city is currently scheduled to run out of water. London, Tokyo and Mexico City are among the other 11 major cities in greatest danger of running out of drinking water.

The article from GFA reports some staggering statistics from the World Health Organization, including:

• 844 million people lack even a basic drinking-water service, including 159 million people who are dependent on surface water (water from rivers and ponds).
• Globally, at least 2 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with feces.

Praise God, in the midst of the huge struggle for clean water, GFA is helping to provide Jesus Wells and BioSand water filters among some of the neediest regions that are facing this crisis. I am so grateful that the Lord has opened the door for us to help provide for thousands of wells across the Indian subcontinent, just like the one in Nandita’s village.

Woman from Asia walking back home home after collecting clean drinking water from a Jesus Well.

It’s been a privilege for our field partners to work with government officials, not only to identify the needs but to collaborate with local efforts to help the poor and needy.

I think it’s so important to become involved in the needs we see around us. I remember an experience I had in the early days of my ministry when I was in Rajasthan, India, where we didn’t have water to bathe in for two weeks because of drought. In fact, we hardly had enough water to brush our teeth with. If we wanted a glass of water to drink, we had to buy it. What a kindness the gift of water was in those days. And God wants us to be the hands that show His love in that very practical way.

God needs us to be His hands and feet, reaching out to the people in this world. God is all-powerful, and we can think that God “doesn’t need me.” But all throughout Scripture, there are so many examples of God using people to accomplish His purposes. God needed a Noah to build the ark. He needed an Abraham to start a nation and a Moses to deliver His people. He needed people to build the tabernacle, to rule, to judge, to fight.

The book of Acts is filled with people and stories of how God used them. Although Jesus met Saul along the way and revealed Himself to him, there still had to be someone to help him along in his journey with the Lord (see Acts 9:1-19).

And God has not changed the way He works. He needs us, too. We can be the one to bring that refreshing drink of water. We can be the one who says that word in season. We can be the one who says, “Rise up and walk” (see Acts 3:6). We are part of God’s plan in reaching out to those around us who are suffering. We need to be careful not to assume that He is unable to use us and expect Him to choose someone else. No, He has called us.

And it takes many people, not just one individual. We are part of a body: the hands do one job, the head does another job and the ears, nose, tongue and little toes each do another. It doesn’t matter what size part we have to play. Different people have different parts, but each of us must do the best we can with the part we have been given. And as a team working together, we can see great things accomplished.

In Gayo Village, Ethiopia, a group of women and young girls collect water from a rain water pool. They use tablets to purify the water before they drink it. Around the world, mostly women and children bear the burden of collecting water for their families.

March 22 is World Water Day, and many organizations and individuals are coming together to look for solutions to the global water crisis, to raise awareness and to take action. Through Christ’s help, we can be part of making a difference for those who are suffering. We can be one of the ones helping to offer a clean drink of water. He can use us as His representatives to be there and show His love and care for those who are in need, to be His hands.

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Read more about being a part of Gospel for Asia’s Clean Water Project.

Read the full article Gospel for Asia released about clean water: “The Global Clean Water Crisis: Finding Solutions to Humanity’s Need for Pure, Safe Water”

On Gospel for Asia’s blog, read about one person’s journey to practically reach out and be a helping hand to those nearby.

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