A visitor to h.e.a.r.t. pumps water through the new Chlorination Injection System.
A socially conscious person might be labeled a “people person.” Some schools are known as “people oriented.” Some companies “put people first.” And there are organizations like New Life International that truly love people. This value is reflected not only from an organizational standpoint, but also through the individuals who make up the organization.
I had the blessing of taking a bus ride to Underwood, Indiana where New Life is located. Not only did they give me a room to stay in, food in my belly, and interaction with some of the most hospitable people I’ve ever met; they also blessed h.e.a.r.t. with one of their Chlorination Injection Water systems. You might be thinking, what is that and how is that a blessing? It sounds like something the water company does for us already. Very true. Our water is already taken care of and clean. Unfortunately, that is not the case everywhere.
On New Life International’s website I was able to pick up a few different statistics that really opened my eyes to the devastation of the water crisis around the world.
They highlight some of the following statistics:
“Every 8 seconds a child dies of a waterborne disease” (United Nations).
According to USA Today, “More people die each year from unsafe water than from all forms of violence, including war.”
When you are confronted with facts like these you might start wondering what people are doing to change this unnecessary problem. Is there a viable solution? That’s where New Life International comes into the picture.
“In the late 1960’s, Byron and Yvonne, along with their five young children, served in Ecuador, South America with shortwave radio station HCJB, ‘The Voice of the Andes.’ While in Ecuador they became keenly aware of the conditions of the poor and their need for clean, safe water. Their eldest son, Duvon, experienced a close brush with death when he contracted Giardia from contaminated water. This experience in Ecuador led Duvon to study parasitology and graduate with a degree from Asbury College in pre-med and chemistry. Before his senior year he spent the summer working in hospitals in India. There he witnessed the devastating effects of poor sanitation and pathogen-infested water. He saw firsthand the health perils and deaths that accompany contaminated water. With approximately 25,000 people dying each day from waterborne diseases, this urgent humanitarian crisis is a challenging opportunity for New Life International and financial supporters to make a difference in ‘Bringing Safe Water to a Thirsty World.’”
The way they went about solving this problem was by utilizing their Water Purification System. “The water purifier uses DC voltage (battery or AC with transformer), table salt and water to create chlorine which kills harmful bacteria in the water. The purifier can treat up to 55 gallons per minute depending upon water quality and the size of the unit.”
“Depending on the size of the purifier, the number of people being served, and a few other factors, safe water can be provided for as little as $1.00 US dollar a person per year! That’s less than you would pay for ONE bottle of water! One purifier can serve an entire village or more. And treating a single case of a waterborne disease may cost more than providing safe water for a village for an entire year.”
Duvon McGuire and Steve Uede were the two men I got to spend the most time with during my time in Underwood. The only way I could describe such men would be “true Davids,” men after God’s own heart. Their care, insight and knowledge were paramount in helping me to understand this system so that we could begin to implement it in the h.e.a.r.t. village. They went more than the extra mile to which Jesus calls us in Matthew 5:41. They are working in over 78 countries trying to stop the cycles of sickness due to water borne illnesses. Please support them by sending a purifier to a needed area or by going to their website and making a donation. The work this organization is doing is one of the most urgent and important things in which we believers can be involved.
Post by Michael McDaniel