Around the world, 668 million people do not have access to clean drinking water to meet their everyday needs. Among the poor and especially in developing countries, diarrhea, a preventable disease, becomes a major killer for those under 5 years of age.
Agua Viva Serves (AVS), Advance #3021984, a mission project supported by First United Methodist Church in Winter Park, Fla. and other United Methodist congregations and ecumenical partners, addressed this issue by drilling and building a well system that provided clean water for hundreds of people in Los Chiles, Costa Rica. The communities were experiencing illness due to contaminated water. The project was made possible by generous donations made to AVS during last year’s UMC #GivingTuesday event. One woman, Tomasa Lazo Davila, explained the benefits she’s seen since the instillation of the new well.
For this upcoming year, AVS has four large-scale water system projects planned, thanks to UMC #GivingTuesday donations. These systems will provide clean water to more than 1,000 people in various communities of Los Chiles. They will provide the tools, education and technology for communities to improve their lives and health.
For more on our mission connections…
