Water Solutions for a Growing Crisis

A growing global water crisis touches nearly every country, no matter its socioeconomic status or population density. With more than 4 billion people currently without a reliable source of water at least one month of the year, now is the time to seek out and support waters solutions that prevent a full global disaster in the decades to come.¹

Access to clean drinking water solutions must address a variety of issues. Water scarcity comes in two forms: physical and economic. Physical scarcity is simply an inadequate supply of water for a population’s basic needs, and can occur in areas such as in arid, dry climates. Economic scarcity comes from a lack of investment in the area’s infrastructure to provide the water necessary for people’s basic needs.

In addition to these two basic forms of water scarcity, other factors add to the complexity of the water shortage problem and solution. Population growth, for example, can affect water availability in any area. London, England, is nearly at capacity to provide enough water for its citizens because of its population growth. Large parts of the western United States also face deficits in water supplies.

Changes in weather patterns also affect access to clean water. If an area experiences more flooding than usual, it may have an abundance of water, but that water will likely be highly contaminated and unusable. Likewise, shifting weather can lead certain areas to experience extended periods of drought. These are physical water issues.

Economic scarcity is caused by things such as a lack of investment in infrastructure or technology to draw water from rivers, aquifers or other water sources. It’s estimated that a full one-quarter of the world’s population suffers from this kind of scarcity. This scarcity is mostly linked to a person’s socioeconomic status or the relative wealth of their area and often correlates to high levels of poverty. For example, most of sub-Saharan Africa experiences economic scarcity.

For Garjan, his village experienced both types of water scarcity. Garjan’s village had drought in the dry season and contaminated water in the monsoon season for more than three decades. There was never enough water for people, let alone the livestock they depended on for income. Even the few wells that were nearby yielded dirty water, sending people into a cycle of illness.

Garjan and his wife both contracted waterborne illnesses, but the solution—clean water—was just not accessible. Exhausted from using the pulley-operated well to get dirty water, Garjan didn’t see a way out of the problem.

He and his wife were not alone. Because it was so difficult to get enough water from the well, much less clean water, people bathed and washed clothes in a nearby pond where their animals drank and bathed. This only exacerbated the issue.

Then one day, GFA missionaries in the region worked to bring the village a gift of life and health: a hand-pump well that would draw clean water from deep underground. This well would be one of the very first Jesus Wells ever installed.

“Thinking [back on] the difficulties we faced regarding drawing water from the well, when we first saw this Jesus Well and we drew water, I was very happy,” Garjan remembers. “Actually, I can say that I was the happiest person to draw water and get pure drinking water.”

As of today, more than 30,000 Jesus Wells have been drilled by GFA World in villages such as Garjan’s. GFA World has found a way to provide water solutions that are sustainable and affordable. Jesus wells are drilled up to 600 feet deep by local contractors with simple tools to keep the work affordable. Drilling to such depths prevents the weather from impacting the availability of the water. This well addressed both the physical and economic water access that Garjan’s village faced.

GFA missionaries look closely at the challenges villages face so they can provide water solutions through technology that best fits the situation. One such solution is the Jesus Well. Just one Jesus Well, sponsored at $1,400, can provide clean, safe water for approximately 300 people. This kind of gift transforms the health of the villagers and provides ministry opportunities for the pastor and congregation that oversee the well and its maintenance.

This amount breaks down to about $5 per person for initial setup, but the well can last for decades, helping to break cycles of illness and poverty for multiple generations. Children who have safe water to drink are sick far less frequently. They are then able to attend school regularly, and their education can be the difference for their future

Your gift to GFA World’s Jesus Wells is a lasting investment in a community, in families, in children and in the global water crisis. It’s one of the best ways to serve from afar. You can also know that GFA missionaries will bring the true message of hope and healing alongside such an important community feature. Sponsor a Jesus Well today.

Learn more about the global water crisis

¹ “How do we prevent today’s water crisis becoming tomorrow’s catastrophe?” World Economic Forum. 23 March 2017. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.