Waterborne illness was common in Simeon’s community, a village called Daka in the northeastern region of Kurukwata, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He and his wife, Clementine, are among the many villagers who witnessed regular sickness in their family and community as ground water was infected by human waste. Simeon also was among those whose lives were changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we conducted a program in their town.
Through Samaritan’s Purse WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) teams and a “Clean Latrines” program, we provided Simeon’s village with training, latrines, and protected water points to alleviate many of the common ailments afflicting generations in the Congolese village.
Simeon and his wife learned the consequences of open-air defecation and the importance of using hygienic facilities. So, they were grateful when we helped Simeon build a quality latrine combined with a handwashing station.
Families in Daka quickly saw improved health as they instituted handwashing and hygiene practices for keeping waste out of their water and food.
We also constructed latrines for the village school and later built a protected water point where families and children could safely retrieve the vital resource for their families without fear of infection.
Simeon and Clementine have helped spread the word to their neighbors about safe hygiene practices and the importance of a clean source of drinking water. We praise God that through this project, Simeon also received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as he heard the Gospel communicated clearly during training sessions.
“Samaritan’s Purse came to revive our hope by sharing God’s love with us,” Simeon said. “I was made to understand the teaching about the depth of God’s love, which led me to receive and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I also received a Bible from Samaritan’s Purse written in my own language, Bangala.
“My verse of hope is John 1:12 (NIV) – ‘Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.’”
Please pray for Samaritan’s Purse WASH teams in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other places around the world as they work to point people like Simeon to the source of living water, Jesus Christ.
Save the life of a child or adult in a developing country by providing safe water along with health and hygiene education that will help protect them from deadly, but preventable, diseases. Simple and effective water filters, community wells and water storage solutions, and sanitation facilities can all drastically improve lives and open doors to share the eternal hope of Jesus Christ.