A Message from Living Waters for the World

Dear Friends of Living Waters for the World,  

We need your help.  Since LWW’s first Haiti news update, much has happened as we – and many other organizations and governments – ramped into high gear responding to the earthquake that devastated Haiti last week.   The fact that LWW’s Initiating Partners (IPs) have placed twenty clean water systems in Haiti over the last several years and we have a LWW Haiti Network coordinating these efforts has placed us in a strong position to act swiftly on the plan developed last week in partnership with Solar Under the Sun.   As a faithful Covenant partner to both our IPs and Operating Partners (OPs), Living Waters for the World is committed to: 

1. Rebuild all destroyed systems and power each one with solar
2. Retrofit all functioning systems with solar power
3. Work with other agencies and organizations in coordinating joint efforts
4. Explore ways – as these first goals are completed – to develop a program to expand this work into other areas of Haiti. 

The first priority has been to learn of the health and well-being of our Haiti partners, the Little Brothers of St. Therese (LBST) with the Catholic Church and OCDES, affiliated with the Haiti Episcopal Church.  The wonderful news is that our key partners and their families are safe!   The epicenter of the earthquake was southeast of Leogane along two major faults lines. This area of Haiti has been the center of LWW’s work.   Though poor communication remains a problem, field reports now allow us to estimate that 50% of our clean water systems have been destroyed.  

There is good news; we know that at least two systems are up and running and providing clean water for their communities!   Chris McRae and Bob McCoy – our Haiti Network co-moderators – are scheduled to travel to Haiti next week (a remarkable development) to conduct a detailed damage estimate and develop a specific plan of action for system rebuilding.    

We need your help!    Please:  

1. Pray for all involved in this critical assessment and planning stage

2. Donate to the LWW Haiti Network

3. Spread the word about our plan by sharing this email with others     

Toward accomplishing these goals, SUTS will host their first SUTS Solar School on May 13 – 16, 2010 at Ferncliff Conference Center (outside of Little Rock, AR)

Thank you for your support and Let Clean Water Flow!