Kalla’s stomach pains would not go away. For a long period of time, 34-year-old Kalla had battled with acute stomachaches. The wife and mother of five knew exactly what the issue causing her pains was, but she couldn’t do anything about it.
The Source of Sickness
A single well was the only water source in the village. The dirty water it contained caused severe stomachaches, kidney problems and other health issues. Kalla and her husband, Selman, could not afford a water filter because their finances went toward their children’s education.
Therefore, Kalla and Selman drank impure water, like millions of people around the world. Around 785 million people globally do not possess basic drinking-water services; 144 million people worldwide collect water straight from impure sources such as ponds, lakes and rivers.[1] As such, water-based disease and sickness run rampant in villages like Kalla and Selman’s.
Providing a Solution
One day, something caught Kalla’s attention. She learned that a nearby church would be distributing water filters to people in the community. Eagerly hoping for some help, Kalla and Selman met the pastor and asked if they could also receive a BioSand water filter.
The local Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor organizing the distribution, Pastor Kunja, had been monitoring the quality of water for some time. He saw the villagers’ struggling with dirty water and knew the filters would meet their needs.
On the day of the distribution, a total of 200 families, including Kalla and Selman’s, received water filters. The water filters, capable of filtering out 98 percent of biological impurities, would be a great help in keeping the villagers healthy and happy.
No longer drinking dirty water, Kalla does not suffer from stomachaches anymore.
“I am very thankful to the church for providing a water filter for our family,” Kalla says. “Being poor, we were not able to buy a water filter.”
Selman is also grateful for the water filter.
“I never thought that I would get a water filter free of cost,” he says. “Thank you … for showing concern and providing a water filter.”
Read how to bless others with clean water.
[1] “Drinking water fact sheet.” World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water.14 June 2019.
