WATER Community Details Each day, members of the 20 families of 12 Agosto Neighborhood would trek down to the local surface water source to collect water for their individual and family needs. The water was used for everything from bathing and laundering to cooking and drinking. Although the supply was abundant, it wasn’t safe. The water was regularly exposed to contaminants from the environment as well as secondary risks, such as the collection of malaria-carrying mosquitoes that hovered near the water. The threats were constant, and resulted in creating an environment where suffering water-related illnesses was normal. Residents would struggle with respiratory infections caused by the bacteria in the water droplets they inhaled, and they suffered from dysentery, malaria, and many other water-related illnesses. Every time someone was sick, there was lost work or school time, which set the community back in their progress one illness at a time. The problem was insurmountable for the community to tackle alone, but with the support of generous donors, they could see this ongoing nightmare come to an end. When the local leaders learned of the work the Living Water field team did in Peru, they reached out and asked for assistance, and through the kindness of Paper For Water and CONTI Real Estate Investments, the team had the resources they needed to travel into the community and construct a safe water well. The work to successfully secure safe water consisted of drilling to a depth of 96 meters. Once they reached an aquifer, they installed casing and then connected that to an India Mark II hand pump to make water retrieval safe and easy. The field team and community members worked together to construct a platform that would serve the dual purpose of protecting the borehole and preventing water pooling that might attract unwanted mosquitoes. Four individuals stepped up to become volunteer members of the local water committee. Together, they will work to support the sustainability of the well by keeping it clean and maintained. While the work continued on the well, the team used the evenings to share the hope of Christ. They showed the JESUS film, narrated key Bible passages, and passed out copies of the Bible so that men, women, and children of 12 Agosto Neighborhood would have the knowledge of how to find Jesus and rest in the peace he provides. The community was engaged throughout the ministry sessions, and now the residents know who Jesus is and how he can impact their lives now and forever. The team didn’t leave without teaching the residents how to best utilize the safe water to keep their bodies and communities clean. They taught the residents about the importance of observing safe hygiene and sanitation habits on a daily basis. They began by defining the problem—germs and disease transmission—and then teaching practical skills, like handwashing, that will greatly reduce the risks. The community was left empowered to be their own best defense against disease. Thank you, Paper For Water and CONTI Real Estate Investments, for joining hearts with the people of Peru and giving them hope through your generous donations. The community of 12 Agosto Neighborhood now has a new outlook on the future, and it is because of you. Thank you! FOR LIFE Hygiene Promotion The importance of hygiene and sanitation education cannot be overstated. In communities where safe water access has long been an issue, residents are often unaware of the impact of simple hygiene and sanitation decisions since their previous lack of water made any attempts at hygiene highly ineffective. However, now that the people of 12 Agosto Neighborhood have a safe water source, they have the opportunity to use the safe water to keep their bodies and community clean. To meet this end, the field team trained 28 local residents using 14 interactive hygiene and sanitation lessons. The lessons defined germs and demonstrated how they transmit diseases. They also explained how simple habits, like handwashing, could break the cycle of disease transmission. Together, the field team and residents constructed a simple handwashing device called a tippy tap so that the residents could build others throughout the community to promote regular handwashing. The danger of dehydration as a result of diarrhea was diminished when the team showed the residents how to use the safe water to create a rehydration solution from salt, sugar, and water. Moreover, the importance of keeping the well area clean to prevent water contamination and the importance of protecting the safe water after it is collected were also taught and discussed. The community members were able to participate throughout the lessons and even worked together to draw a map of their community to create a plan for addressing any remaining hygiene or sanitation concerns. With the knowledge and skills gained from the lessons, the people of this small Peruvian community now have the ability to protect themselves from many preventable hygiene-related diseases. Community Member Interview "I want to thank God for using [you] to bring clean water to our village,” stated 32-year-old farmer and community member, Alex Bernabe Ancon, when asked about the impact of the new well. “Now we have clean water to drink that is close by." Thank you, Paper For Water and CONTI Real Estate Investments, for making this possible. Thank you for providing people like Alex and his family with safe water. IN JESUS’ NAME Christian Witness “We had opportunities to share the gospel in the evenings,” stated the field team. In this community where there was no local church, the ministry of the team was powerful. “Everyone from the neighborhood came out to participate. They really enjoyed the film we showed.” The team showed the JESUS film to the community members while they were there working on the well. The film allowed the community to see a reenactment of the life of Christ in their heart language so that they could better understand the gospel. The team went on to say, “We held an orality workshop here as well. The gospel was presented at the dedication of the well. We shared the Bible stories ‘The Woman at the Well,’ ‘The Demon-Possessed Gerasene,’ ‘Jesus Calms the Storm,’ ‘Nicodemus,’ and ‘The Blind Beggar.’” The impact of narrating Bible stories was great. In many communities, such as 12 Agosto Neighborhood, the residents are oral-preference learners. Sharing the gospel through the narration of key Bible passages allows everyone—regardless of age or education level—to hear and understand the gospel of Christ. By providing workshop opportunities, the team was able to teach the residents how to re-tell the stories so that the gospel message would continue to spread throughout the region. The team left the residents with copies of the Bible, and a total of 15 men, 16 women, and 18 children heard about the saving love of Jesus. Thank you, Paper For Water and CONTI Real Estate Investments, for your sacrifice and generosity that made this ministry opportunity possible. "I want to thank God for using [you] to bring clean water to our village,” stated 32-year-old farmer and community member, Alex Bernabe Ancon, when asked about the impact of the new well. “Now we have clean water to drink that is close by."