Living Water
Come All Who Are Thirsty
CBN.com – The plaque mounted on the Babanpada village well reads, "Come, all you who are thirsty come to the water.” This is the first time these residents have received such an invitation to get fresh water.
Babanpada is a remote village comprised of some 700 people living mainly on cultivation in the state of Maharashtra. Like most rural communities in India, the community has depended on muddy stream for procuring drinking water for generations.
One of the villagers is Kusum. Her husband is a daily laborer in a local factory. With no one else to carry the water for them, Kusum had to walk one kilometer to the only isolated water source of the village even during her pregnancy.
Safe drinking water was only a dream to the villagers. The river water was used to wash clothes, take baths. They even burn the dead bodies near the river, and throw the debris into the water. Having no other choice the villagers used the same water for drinking.
For Kusum, bringing water from the river everyday was very painful. She had to walk miles only to collect polluted water.
“My mother was worried about me and visited me often from next town to see how I am managing and to help me,” Kusum says.
Around the same time, Operation Blessing’s Living Water team saw the need in Babanpada. Working through a donation from "Virginia M. Jensen," the OBI team drilled a bore well and built a pump for the village. The new utility was commissioned in a celebration of thanksgiving and prayer. Afterwards, the people were taught how to maintain the well water so that it is pure for drinking.
The idea of a clean water source right in their village was exciting news for all the villagers.
Safe water near homes will benefit them greatly giving them an uncontaminated well and more time for other work. Illness prevents the sick and their guardians from working and earning money, while money spent on medical bills reduces their limited funds even more.
“Not only have me, with healthier children and reduced concerns about collecting water, our village women had less mental stress,” Kusum says.
Furthermore, without having to wake up in the middle of the night to start the long search for water, the women have more sleep which improves their health. Mothers and children benefit greatly. Kusum now has access to clean water to drink and bathe reducing the post natal infections.
“Families will be able to spend more time together and have more for religious rites too. We can look after our families better; we can cook meals more regularly and eat at regular times,” Kusum says. “Having a clean water source enables us to wash ourselves, our children and our homes, utensils and clothes more regularly, leading to a healthier and happier living environment. This extra time and less fatigue from carrying heavy containers, of around 20kg, over long distances enables to carry out other work, often to earn money. We are grateful to OBI Living Water for all the benefits we are enjoying.”
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