When two ministries of WMU come together, entire communities can experience holistic healing. WorldCrafts, the fair trade division of WMU, and Pure Water, Pure Love, the clean water ministry of WMU recently joined forces to forever change the lives of 10 families in Bangladesh.
Can you image what it would it be like to live without the hope of clean water? To be afraid to drink water, cook with water, take a bath, or even wash your clothes? For the WorldCrafts artisans at Light of Hope in Bangladesh, this has been an accepted way life – until Pure Water, Pure Love, stepped in.
What is Light of Hope?
Light of Hope serves as a beacon of hope to girls and young women in Bangladesh where an estimated 700,000 beggars live in the streets. Because of widespread poverty, young girls face multiple obstacles and dangers. They are vulnerable to sex trafficking and exploitation. Many are beaten verbally and physically, and are not valued aside from the services they can perform — cleaning, cooking, sex, and childbearing.
In Light of Hope, the local community has a found a place for their girls who cannot afford to go to school. When the girls come to the center, they receive an education and learn life skills. Health care is provided. The young women learn here that they are gifted and valuable, and their lives have great potential. As their skills are assessed, they are taught a trade and many become craft artisans. Through their partnership with WorldCrafts, these artisans sew beautiful Christmas decorations: Advent trees and burlap stockings in both natural burlap and red burlap. They are now able to support their families with the living wages they earn for their craftsmanship.
Why the need for water filters?
Regardless of their hope for new lives, the Light of Hope Center artisans used to return home each evening to the reality of lives without clean water. They were receiving living wages. Their incomes provided food and safety for their families and educations for their siblings, yet still they faced the daily fear of water-borne illness and parasites.
All this changed in August 2018, when Light of Hope received a grant for 10 water filters from Pure Water, Pure Love.
The grant allowed Light of Hope to purchase individual water filters for each artisan’s house. The artisans were even given the opportunity to choose what color filter they wanted in their homes! Now our artisans are assured that their water is healthy and clean. No longer do they worry about typhoid, cholera, dysentery, or malaria. No longer do they worry about worry about a lack of hygiene.
Would you like to help?
Would you like to join forces with WorldCrafts and Pure Water, Pure Love to bring lasting change?
WorldCrafts offers many opportunities for partnership. By praying for our artisans, purchasing their products, sharing the vision of WorldCrafts, or donating to our Isaiah 58:10 campaign, you can help us bring financial and spiritual hope to families and communities in the US and around the world.
Likewise, you can support Pure Water, Pure Love in many different ways. Visit wmu.com/pwpl to discover Pure Water, Pure Love’s impact. Here you will also learn how you can pray for, promote and plan events to raise awareness and mobilize your community to provide clean water for global communities.
In 2018, no one should have to live without hope of clean water. The Word tells us we are all responsible for caring for those who hunger and those who thirst. What will you do to fulfill your part in our great commission?