Guatemala (MNN) — Volcanic eruptions and flooding are causing problems for at least one ministry in Guatemala. The natural disasters killed 150 mostly by flooding and mudslides. However, Kids Alive International is moving forward with a plan to provide clean water to students of their school village of Zapote.
Kids Alive's Country Director Corby Dukes says water situation is pretty desperate. "The village has a municipal water system. We've tested it, and it's contaminated with e coli and whatever parasites you're going to find in a water system."
Dukes says students at the Touch of Hope School will be the first to get help with a water filter system in each house. "It's basically a developing world filtering systems. We're on a program to buy these filters and to sell them to the people at about a 95-percent discount," says Dukes.
That means Kids Alive needs people like you and me to help finance the rest. Dukes says, "It costs $40 to buy one of these filters to put in a house that will supply clean drinking water for a family."
He says there's reason they'll be selling them. "People value what costs them something," Dukes says.
While they're initially working with the 65 families at the school, Dukes says it won't stop there. "This might be a way for us to minister to them as an entrance into their family, to get a touch point with the family and then bring the Gospel's message to the families."
So far, 50 filters have already been purchased for the program.
And prayer is needed now. "We've been a little bit held up because of the weather. I personally have not been able to get to Zapote for three weeks. The roads are completely washed out, and the village is pretty well cut off."
Dukes says showing Christian love is key to this outreach. "The more we can enter into the life of the family, the more trust and the more love that's going to be established and the more people are going to recognize how Jesus has transformed our lives and how He can transform theirs."
If you'd like to help Kids Alive International with this project, click here.
