By Peter Handke

Blessed Hope Fellowship

Water was once a take for granted inexpensive free to everyone resource we didn’t think much about. Now we think about it nearly every time we turn the faucet on.  How clean is my water, we think to ourselves.

It’s hard not to. Concerns lead some of us to buy bottled water, much of it bottled tap water.  Bottled water that is not tap is in most cases not tested like tap water putting it in a questionable safety setting.  What are we to do?

Testing is done for a few items, but not for most chemicals. Enter World Water Day, March 22, 2015.

What about the rest of the world as we think about us? If we have water concerns, consider the following quick statistics:

— 50 percent of malnutrition is caused by dirty water and poor sanitation practices. (According to WASH Advocates).

— 50 percent of child deaths are due to malnutrition or 860,000 child deaths per year. (According to World Health Organization)

— One child dies every 21 seconds from diarrhea. (According to World Health Organization)

In developing countries clean water is a luxury and some people think it should be a basic human right.  About 1.5 Million people every year die from contaminated water. That is more than AIDS, malaria and measles combined! The average person needs five gallons a day for all uses in a home. Most people in the world struggle to secure five gallons a day while the average American uses 125 gallons a day. Can we help those who lack this clean resource?

A mission team from Minnesota is in the Congo changing those statistics for thousands. Twenty-one wells have been drilled so far saving time, saving health. They are a part of Congofrontline missions.org based out of Dodge Center.

Another organization ADRA — Adventist Development Relief Agency operates in 125 countries. Vanuatu has been in the news and ADRA is very involved in ten of the twenty evacuation centers in the capital city Port Vila.  Cyclone Pam devastated this island nation over this last weekend. ADRA.org has more information for you.

Will you give the gift of clean water? Donating to either organization will help meet water needs in needy places of the world, thus eliminating water diseases and saving lives. World Water Day is the perfect time to help others get clean fresh water!  Just mention water with your donation.

Many suffer from another type of thirst. Perhaps, you can relate. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let Him who hears say, Come. And let him who is thirsty come.  And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17

This is thirst only Jesus, the Holy Spirit and holy scripture can satisfy. Be sure to drink this life saving spiritual water every day! It is completely satisfying.