The Power of Clean Water: Transforming Communities

SPEAKER 02 : 0:00

It’s Mike Train with 670 KLTT. We’re joined by Bishop Daniel Yohannan. Bishop is the president of GFA World. And Bishop, thank you so much for taking the time with us.

SPEAKER 01 : 0:13

It’s my privilege. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER 02 : 0:15

I really appreciate it. Bishop, we want to talk about clean water. That’s something that’s so close to your heart and the mission of GFA World. And First, I want to talk with you about the basic need part of that, the fact that we take clean water for granted. But for other people, that’s a basic need that they just they don’t get.

SPEAKER 01 : 0:39

Yeah, you know, everyone kind of knows that you have two basic needs, food and water, and you can kind of survive without food for quite a while. But without water, you can’t survive very long. Most people, unless they’ve traveled outside their own country, they may not realize that. Literally tens of millions of people around the world don’t have access to clean or safe drinking water. I had the chance to visit a village in a very rural area, and I saw that there was this really dirty, stagnant pond, and there was garbage all around it. It was just not flowing, so it was green and disgusting, and they were cleaning their dishes in it. People were bathing in it. Their animals were being washed in it. But then you also had… the places, the fields where they were relieving themselves was kind of close to the water sources. And so you had now sewage leaching into the water source. The water was so dirty that none of us would ever imagine even taking a swim in this dirty pond. And yet that’s where they get their water for cooking and cleaning and bathing and for their animals. And it’s just absolutely disgusting. But then I saw, you know, a little further away from that, that dirty pond, we had actually installed a Jesus well. So there was a source of clean water, but I visited so many of these communities where people are, um, They don’t have any choices. They’re drinking from dirty ponds or dirty streams. But here’s the devastating part, is many, many of these people, these precious people, have to walk miles away to go fetch water because they’re considered to be a lower strata of society, and they’re not allowed to take water from the well that’s in the village. And so the women and the girls often are the ones who have to walk far away, which means these young girls can’t go to school. They can’t get an education. Oftentimes, they are kidnapped or pulled into the sex trade. In some places, they’re even attacked by wild animals. And so the lack of… access to clean water, safe water in a community impacts people’s health, impacts education, and impacts the livelihood of the family because people get sick and they end up spending money on things they just don’t need to. So water really has a compounding effect in a community, either good or bad. It’s one of the most devastating things. And for most of us, you know, we turn on the tap, we get our water, we drink it, and we don’t think anything about it, except if it tastes a little bit like chlorine or not. But we never have to worry that drinking this cup of water can actually, like, be the end of my life because I’m going to get so sick. But that’s the reality for many around the world is every single day they’re drinking water, and it’s literally taking a risk for them in survival.

SPEAKER 02 : 3:50

Bishop Daniel, one of the things you’ve taught us about the Jesus Wells is it also becomes kind of a community rallying point, doesn’t it? Somewhere where everybody can gather, Christ can be shared. It just is kind of the hub of the community because they have clean water, that place, because of GFA World.

SPEAKER 01 : 4:11

Exactly. You know, most of us have water, you know, running into our homes. We have running water in our homes and we have, you know, these precious gifts. Most people have to go to a well or what we put in is Jesus wells to go fetch water. And when we install a well in a community it’s it’s for everyone to take everyone is welcome no one is is uh rejected from that and usually it’s in proximity or near a church and so you know not only are they getting fresh water every single day near their homes and it’s especially for the the women and the girls they don’t have to walk far away But also there’s a plaque near the Jesus well where Jesus talks about how he’s the living water. So it is a rallying point. It’s a point of contact that every single day people are going in and getting water, but also becomes an avenue and an opportunity for people to learn about Christ. And this is happening in literally tens of thousands of places all around Africa and Asia. where we put in Jesus wells. I think over 40,000 Jesus wells we put in an opportunity for people to come to know Christ. Wow.

SPEAKER 02 : 5:22

Bishop Daniel, not all of our listeners may know that your father started this ministry. And so what did Clean Water, which is an initiative that predates you taking over the ministry, the organization, what is Clean Water? What did that mean to your dad? Because there’s a legacy there.

SPEAKER 01 : 5:40

Yeah, you know, when my parents started the ministry, you know, those four things that kind of have happened over these over 45 years is helping national missionaries to be able to reach their own people, assisting children to be able to have an education and change their families, then disaster relief, and then seeing compassionate care With the goal of community transformation, we want to see entire communities transformed by Christ’s love, spiritually and physically. And clean water is one of the most important things to see an entire community transformed physically and spiritually because it is something everyone needs. Everyone needs water. Not everyone needs literacy, but everyone needs water. And so providing these opportunities for people to get water was something very, very dear to my father’s heart because he saw it as an open door to share Christ’s love practically and tangibly. you know in the village that he comes from you know he also had to go fetch water from the common well near his house and so this is a very normal practice and he saw the power of water in a community but connecting it with the gospel message that christ is the living water and to see millions of lives change and the exciting thing is we get to be part of it we get to pray and support and do something to actually impact people’s lives for eternity

SPEAKER 02 : 7:08

Bishop Daniel, we have taken on a very special goal for KLTT. So our goal is five to six wells. We know that while that’s a heavy lift, it’s not too heavy for our listeners. And we have had people in the past… fund an entire well. And I think that was somewhere around $1,400 or $1,500. I don’t know if it’s changed since then. But we actually had one person say, I’ll take care of the whole thing. So it is very doable, whether it’s a group of people that is able to pay for a well or one person that says, I have the resources. I can do it. Let’s get it done.

SPEAKER 01 : 7:44

Yeah, exactly. I know Sunday schools that have got together and been able to build a Jesus well. I know churches that have pulled together, and everyone gave a couple of dollars and was able to see a Jesus well established. It’s something very, very significant because these Jesus wells, the hardware will last at least a minimum of 20 years. I’ve seen Jesus wells last for 40 years or plus. But, you know, hundreds of people are using these Jesus Wells every single day in a community. But, you know, like you said, it’s a glad sacrifice. It’s a simple opportunity. You know, and the challenge that we have is how can I simplify my life and do some things different to use those resources for eternal purposes like a Jesus Well? So, for example, maybe… Maybe during this time, I don’t buy the 15-gallon cup of coffee, but maybe I buy the 5-gallon cup of coffee and use a little bit of the difference towards a Jesus well. People don’t realize $1 can mean 100 gospel tracts, and the average gospel tract is read by 10 people. So even $1 makes a huge difference in terms of eternal significance. But I would encourage everyone. Everyone can pray. Everyone can tell others about the need, and everyone can take action. Yes.

SPEAKER 02 : 9:02

The website’s simple. It’s EasterWater.org. So I love that this, you know, we always keep it simple through the KLTT website, you know, different things like that. But this time we’re going to use EasterWater.org because this is a leading up to Easter campaign. We want to share about clean water and the water that Jesus provides. And, you know, that’s that biblical, you know, the biblical comparison. I don’t know if that’s the right word. Bishop Daniel, what would you call it?

SPEAKER 01 : 9:32

Oh, I mean, it’s a wonderful comparison. I mean, when we celebrate Easter, we’re thinking about Christ’s victory over sin, Satan, and death, and how a Jesus well can bring that message of Christ’s victory to a community that maybe has never even heard about Christ. I mean, I myself have asked people, do you know Jesus? And they’ll respond, nope, I’ve never heard of Jesus. Some of our missionaries have heard people say, you know, I’ve lived here my whole life. My friends are here. My family’s here. Your friend Jesus is not here. And so literally, when we provide water to community, we are bringing Christ to people that maybe have never heard about Christ. But we’re seeing individuals, families, and entire communities transformed by Christ’s love.

SPEAKER 02 : 10:15

You mentioned it, Bishop Daniel. In terms of a donation, for some of our listeners, it might be $20 is what they could do, or $50 is what they could do, or going to get their Bible study together and say, guys, let’s everybody do a little bit, and that added up will mean a difference. I could even think of folks that maybe one thing they could do is to go out and get some pledges. Just, you know, go out to some friends and say, hey, will you help us a little bit? Five or ten dollars, you know, 20, whatever you can do. Here’s what we’re trying to do. We’re all trying to work together to get this well built and see what God does. Just pray about it. Go out and take those steps and see what he’s going to do with it.

SPEAKER 01 : 10:59

No, absolutely. I think the attitude that we must have is kind of like what Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Mother Teresa said, is if you can’t feed the hundred, then feed the one. Sometimes we see the need is so great that we don’t do anything, but whatever we can do. whether it’s to pray or to give or to tell someone else. It’s a great, great opportunity to change people’s lives.

SPEAKER 02 : 11:24

Bishop, before we go, last thing is I want you to speak to for our listeners. Yes, this is typically we’re working around the world. So we’re typically talking across, you know, across the world in terms of who we’re helping. For people that are listening, why is it so important for them to put themselves in that person’s shoes instead of saying, hey, that’s across the world. That’s not my problem.

SPEAKER 01 : 11:49

Yeah. You know, my father would often say, you know, take your present age and add 100 years to it and then ask the question, what actually matters at that time? When I stand before the Lord, my car, my house, the things that I hold so valuable, none of those things matter. At that time, what actually matters is did I live my life so that others can come to know Christ? We only have two focuses in life. to know Christ and then to make Him known. And, you know, it’s not a guilt thing, but it’s a privilege. God has given me this life, this very short life, as a gift to live for His glory so that others will also come to know Him through my life.

SPEAKER 02 : 12:33

Bishop, I think that makes it really clear for a lot of us. And the thing is, is that we can take that step. We can help someone, their practical needs be met, and at the same time, give the GFA world missionary a chance to say, you know, there’s something else about that water I want to tell you, and talk to them about Jesus. That’s pretty cool that both things can happen at the same time.

SPEAKER 01 : 12:59

Yeah, you know, I think none of us will be sorry for the investments that we make, whether it’s our time, our emotions, our resources. If we invest them in internal things, we will never, never be sorry.

SPEAKER 02 : 13:14

Well, Bishop Daniel, we’re always really honored to be part of the Clean Water Campaign. We did it a couple of years ago. We’re getting a chance to do that again this time. Again, the website is easterwater.org, so easterwater.org. Any questions you might have as KLTT listeners, just contact us here at the station, and we’re happy to help. Bishop, thank you for taking the time with us. Such a blessing. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.