Seventeen years ago the first LWW system was installed in northern Mexico. It strikes me what a very long way we have come from those first tentative, shaky steps. Who could have imagined today 395 clean water systems have been installed in 23 countries, and 91 percent of these are still operating!
Along the way have been several pivotal Spirit-powered moves. Catching the vision in 2003 to begin training and equipping teams was the first huge shift, which came in March 2004 with the first Clean Water U. Now, 31 sessions and over 1,250 graduates later, more and more clean water is flowing into the world.
With intentional and strategic planning, we've been busy learning as we go, both administratively and organizationally. Regional networks and network coordinating teams have been formed. Eleven international in-country consultants and technicians have been hired. Our Development and Awareness team keeps hustling to meet the growing demands.
Today LWW is poised on the edge of another kairos time as we look forward to the realities and challenges we face. Where is God leading in all of this growth and interest?
In the January Water of Life, we announced we are scoping out a Five Year Vision, intentionally working to discern what God wishes us to be and do to meet the growing opportunities and challenges we face.
In early June the Leadership Team and staff met for two days to initiate this process.
Living Waters for the World is a Christian ministry providing sustainable clean water and fostering long-term mutually beneficial relationships between volunteers and communities in need.
The Rev. Wil Howie of Water Valley, Miss., is founder and Executive Director
of Living Waters for the World.
It is in a small village between the mountains and the sea.
where growing pains are good
The Dominican Republic Network is one of the newer networks within the LWW family, and we are excited about its growth.
This beautiful country covers the eastern two-thirds of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The capital city is Santo Domingo, on the southern coast. The people are friendly and joyful.
One recent addition to our network has been Pedro De La Cruz, joining us as a parttime in-country consultant. Pedro has a passion to help the people of his country and is committed to helping bring clean water to the less fortunate there. He is helping with the long-term success of current systems there as well as being
Another milestone of our network is the installation of a reverse osmosis system in June in Azua, a mid-size town along the southern coast. Both their surface water and well water sources have heavy content of minerals and dissolved solids. A team converted a standard system to this new RO system.
As the network grows, we look forward to touching the lives of more and more people there and to working more closely with Haiti, which is just east of the DR on Hispaniola.
William Milam is moderator of LWW's Dominican Republic Network coordinating team and an elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Knoxville, Tenn.