Water
Safe, clean water is one of the most important commodities for the families in rural Berlín.
And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river.
[Exodus 7:24]
The rural families of Berlín often do not have enough water to drink, cook, clean or bathe. The water they do have access to is often unsafe, causing them to suffer from parasites, stomach and intestinal maladies, and other more serious conditions.
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From November to May, there is little to no rain in Berlín. During this dry period, many of the people in Berlín rely on a rural water project for all of their water needs. Unfortunately, the water only runs for an hour or two every 8 to 15 days—when the system is working. When the system requires repairs, it can take up to three weeks for the water to run again. Without a clean, safe place to store water to use for cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, or drinking when it does run, families have no choice but to obtain highly contaminated water by walking for miles to a far-away river or to purchase this vital resource at an extremely high price.
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Our Sister Parish works with partner churches in Iowa and other organizations to provide water tanks to families in Berlín, who use them to collect and save water from the rural water project, or to collect and save rainwater.
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We have also helped to build, maintain, and repair water systems throughout the communities of Berlín. We have worked with partner organizations, such as the Rotary Club International, to provide slow-sand filters to hundreds of families in Berlín and nearby areas. These filters, when well maintained, provide families with safe, clean drinking water for many years.