Although Christina had faced this kind of storm-related devastation before, this time was different. Thanks to Water Mission, this time she found hope.
In March, Christina was among the nearly 700,000 people who were displaced from their homes in Malawi as tropical cyclone Freddy destroyed homes, businesses, and land in 14 of the country’s 28 districts.
Thanks to the support of faithful partners, our team in Malawi was prepared to respond quickly. We were able to get safe water flowing for families in need shortly after the storm, serving nearly 25,000 people at seven camps for internally displaced people (IDPs).
“This is not the first time we have been affected by floods in our area,” said Christina, who took refuge in one of the camps. “When the floods came in, Water Mission gave us water. They also came with the word of God which continues to encourage us.”
In addition to meeting people’s physical need for safe water, Water Mission is also providing spiritual and emotional support at the camps. More than 11,000 displaced people participated in at least one of our Living Water activities which include trauma healing sessions, training for church leaders, and Jesus Film showings. The Living Water message of Jesus also spread throughout the camps through the distribution of 4,000 Bibles generously donated by The Gideons International.
Mary, a storm victim residing in one of the camps, shared, “Water Mission has helped us. They have provided water for us through taps and are preaching the word of God to all the people in this camp. [This] has helped us to let go of some of our worries.”
Faithful Water Mission supporters not only provide for planned projects, but also help us stand ready for unplanned circumstances, like natural disasters.
Because of your generosity, we can bring lifesaving safe water and the hope of Jesus Christ to our global neighbors in need. Although it will take years to recover from such expansive devastation, thousands of people in Malawi now have peace and hope as they face the challenges ahead.