A child dies every eight seconds from a water-related illness. This is the leading cause of death among children throughout the world. A lack of clean water is the number-one health crisis in our world. St. John’s is doing something about it and you can help!
St. John’s has partnered with ChristChurch Presbyterian in Bellaire to install water purification systems and bring clean water use education to villages in Mexico. As you read this, Becki and Remi Van Campernolle from ChristChurch are in the Yucatan Peninsula working on a covenant agreement with a church in the Mayan village of Yacheku for an installation and education trip later this summer.
St. John’s can help by providing prayers, money and people. Space on the trip will be limited but there will be work to be done in Houston and a translator may be needed for the trip. Approximately $13,000 will have to be raised to pay for the equipment, a building to house the purification system and trip expenses. ChristChurch has been holding fundraisers and St. John’s will host a Mayan Hands craft sale on May 18 along with an opportunity to purchase parts for the purification system (see sidebar). St. John’s has budgeted $500 in the Outreach budget for this and funds collected at last year’s living gift market will also go for this project, but this is only a beginning.
Last year St. John’s contributed money, prayers and one team member for the water purification trip to Xmaben, Mexico. This installation paid unexpected dividends last fall when hurricane Dean swept across the Yucatan and our water system in Xmaben provided clean water for many people in the area left without water. This is a marvelous example of the global reach of St. John’s outreach and compassion, but the work is far from done. More support and prayers will be needed for this year’s trip. To help contact John Freeman.
