Clean water for God's thirsty children
Making Another Move For 2021:
This Time In Uganda
The new Water Women look on as children fill their first cups of filtered water.
Jim Wilhite holds one of his newest Ugandan friends.

Even with the temporary pause caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, work and planning continue for the Water With Blessings team in Uganda.
 
“Last June and July we were able to get 180 filters to new Water Women in an area called Lodonga,” said Jim Wilhite, the country coordinator for Uganda. “Our team leader, Sr. Mauraine, lives in Moyo, and even though it’s only 11 miles away it takes two hours to get there because of the steep angles on the roads.”
 
In 2018 and 2019, before things slowed down, the country team was able to train and equip more than 1,100 Water Women in the Palorinya settlement in what is called South Sudan. Jim is now planning a major training effort for the Fall of 2021.
 
“I’ll be heading back to Moyo with as many filters as I can take,” he said. “On our days off from training in the areas we already work, one of the Comboni Missionary priests will drive me toward an area called Koboko. Between Lodonga and Koboko there are 106 villages. The people there die of typhoid with such frequency.
“Father will translate for me with the village leader and potential Water Women so we can find out the level of need. We’ll go as far as we can and estimate what we can do. Then, if we can get a second car, we will have a team come behind us and do the training.”
 
Jim asked one village leader to show him their water sources: there was a dirty, slow-moving stream and some rain ponds which Jim discovered were like “green slime.” He saw mosquito larvae, worms, and other contaminants.
 
“I took it back, filtered it, and drank it,” he said. “When they saw me do that, they knew that their children would be safe from now on. When that happens, the word spreads. When we get to the next area, the women are waiting for us.”
 
The Comboni Missionaries, whose US operations are based in Cincinnati, Ohio, are helping to pay for the filters and buckets. Along with the water filtration equipment, Jim has often helped find clothing and books for children in the villages.
 
“They are such beautiful children,” he said. “Anything they receive, they are just so overjoyed.”
Save The Date: Join Us On March 22
For Our Grand Opening Celebration

We’re moved in and working hard. Now the only thing missing is you.

On Monday March 22 we will host the formal opening of our offices and the unveiling of our new sign. We’ll provide socially-distanced tours of the new offices. And, as usual with any WWB event, there will be lots of extras: a food truck for your lunch purchase, ice cream, t-shirt dyeing, and other fun stuff.

Due to the ongoing precautions, there is a limit on the number of people we can host. But we will be live-streaming the event for those who cannot attend. To reserve your spot, please contact debbie@waterwithblessings.org

We hope you can join us, in-person or virtually. And thank you again for being part of our Community for Mission.
Sometimes people give up on their Lenten resolutions, but there's still time for you to join us on our journey

Even though today is the second Sunday in Lent, there is still a long way to go to Easter. We always have time to begin again. If you need time to stand back, pause, and reflect on life, this could be the way.
 
Each day from now until Easter, you can find life-giving resources in the Gospels, Psalms, and other readings that provide a map for the journey. They remind us that God walks with us through all of life’s events.
 
We take this opportunity to offer you a map for your Lenten Journey, a journey of renewal. Each day you can receive a scripture verse and reflection. Please sign up for your subscription using the link below. We look forward to sharing this journey with you.
More Good News About Makin’ Our Move For Hope in 2021

In last week’s mail we received a check for the capital campaign, and with it was a beautiful note. This year the donor is using Jesus’ last words from the Cross to “guide her heart.” This week’s word was: “I thirst.” She added that she was happy to be able to “help a little with this gift.”
 
She has helped more than a little. She reminds us that Jesus said when we give water, or food, or any other assistance to the least of his sisters and brothers, we do it for him.
 
We appreciate all of our generous Community for Mission members who have brought us so close to our goal. When we finish paying for our new office space, the percentage of the donations going to equipment and training will rise even higher.
 
If you would like to help, please click the link below. Or you can contact Rebecca Stutsman, our Chief Development Officer, at rebecca@waterwithblessings.org, or at 502.939.7312.
Why We Support
Water With Blessings
Phil and Tammy Warren
Louisville, Kentucky

Phil Warren and Jim Wilhite have known each other for more than 10 years, attending the same church and participating in men’s groups together. Phil knew that Jim was active in relief work even before retiring, so was interested when Jim began his association with Water With Blessings.
 
“I am just so amazed and humbled that he can do so much with only one leg – even taking part in 5K walks,” Phil said. “After he began with Water With Blessings and Sr. Larraine, he talked to us about what the organization was doing. Then after his first trips to Uganda, his pictures and stories showed how the whole process works.
 
“What we liked was that it’s not just dropping off a filter and a 5-gallon bucket, but creating a change in lifestyle and helping people see how it can help more than one family. There are hours of training, a work commitment from the Water Women, and a system with instructions to keep it working in perpetuity.”
 
And Jim Wilhite’s witness continues to keep them motivated.
 
“He tells us stories of the children, how their chances of survival are so low without clean water,” Phil said. “He gets tears in his eyes and has to stop and gather himself. We know that Water With Blessings is making a difference – serving God and giving people the clean water they need.”
 
While they receive many requests for donations, Phil and Tammy feel secure in supporting Water With Blessings.
 
“Our phone rings three or four times a day, but you can never be sure that the money will go to the right place,” Phil said. “I’m sure with my relationship with Jim, and I’ve talked with Sr. Larraine. The money is going to the right place, with the right system to help those in need. They’re eliminating water-borne diseases because of the filter.”
This Week’s Coffee Chat Takes Us Overseas Again
It may be only a virtual visit, but it’s one you won’t want to miss. We’ll be hear from Jim Wilhite about his team’s work in Uganda. He’s a passionate storyteller, with many good tales to tell.

During Lent, it’s important to remember that even in the most difficult times we face here in the US, we don’t know what it’s like to have nothing at all. This is our reminder. Jim has seen children without clothes or clean water, and the gratitude they have for the smallest of gifts.

Please join us for this important Coffee Chat. Grab a cup of coffee, or your favorite beverage, and link up with us at Noon Eastern Time this Friday, March 5. We look forward to seeing you once again.
In Uganda, new Water Women begin to assemble their filtration systems. Below, a new group is ready to begin providing clean water to their own and three other families.
We believe every child should be drinking clean water. Are you with us?
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