How Often Do You Use Water?
While most people know it for the beautiful blue waters and some of the best beaches in the world, the Dominican Republic is also home to poverty and 100% contaminated water. Many people never make it past the gates of the resorts in the DR, but if they took the time to they might find some of the most amazing people in some of the most heartbreaking situations.
Think of all the times you come in contact with water: brushing your teeth, doing dishes, bathing, cooking, watering your plants, swimming, and other situations. If you live in an area with quality water sources, you’ve probably never thought much about what is going into your body each time you come in contact with the water. Now imagine you don’t live somewhere with access to clean water. You know to survive, you have to drink the unclean water. This is the reality facing many Dominicans on the island.
What’s Next for the Clean Water Ministry?
One of our missionaries, Joe Salvagni, felt tremendously burdened to help in anyway he could to bring at least some clean water to those on the island. With the harsh reality of 5,000 weekly reports of diarrhea due to unclean water, there was no time to wait. SCORE began building “water houses” in several cities and our schools/orphanages. After finding that the building costs were high, and we weren’t able to produce more buildings in all of the villages fast enough. We developed a new strategy to produce mass amounts of purified water in one of our church plants , bottle the water, and transport 5 gallon jugs of water to now over 23 villages.
Once the pastors in the villages receive a shipment of clean water they store it at the distribution sites where water will be handed to those in need. Our goal is always to equip the locals in country to more effectively do ministry. Through our water program we have been given the opportunity to empower pastors in assisting their communities by providing clean water, and yet another opportunity to present the Gospel. If you’d like to find out more about this ministry you can navigate to our Water Ministry page. Where if you feel led to donate, you can.
The ministry is in need of $400/monthly to pay for the necessary gas to bring water to the over 23 villages involved in our Clean Water program.