Sr. Larraine made several stops to purchase buckets at the Navajo Westerners Ace Hardware Store.
Volunteers prepared the buckets to be fitted with Sawyer PointONE Filters, then began distributing them.
In Just One Week,
Great Progress in the Navajo Nation

“This is far, far past what I had hoped to get started here,” said Sr. Larraine Lauter after just one week traveling through the Navajo Nation. Two Chapters have been organized already, with volunteers being trained to train others in the use of the Sawyer PointONE Filters our donors have provided.
 
Approximately 172,000 live on the Navajo Reservation, which is about 47,000 households. Of these, 40% do not have clean water. So the goal is to distribute 20,000 filters.
 
“Because of the great distances between people here, we have to change our working model a little bit,” Sr. Larraine said. “It’s not like in other places we serve where many people live close to one another in villages or cities.
 
“The challenge is that right now we only have funding for 1,100 filters. We have to find more resources to put more filters in the hands of the Navajo people.”
Before now, many people have had to collect water in cisterns for later use, but that water will become contaminated in a short period of time. Or, people will boil the water that otherwise is not fit to drink, but that raises their energy costs. Chlorine tablets are another expense that people cannot always afford. And bottled water just adds to the pollution.
 
“I have been able to meet with lots of people,” Sr. Larraine said. “This trip is all about building a network of collaborators and training future trainers. We have an alliance now with the Many Farms Chapter in northeastern Arizona, which is one of the poorest, least served areas. We also have an alliance with the Thoreau Chapter, with a very enthusiastic group of leaders.
 
“Every door has opened. By the Grace of the Creator, we are making this happen.”
For One of Our New Board Members, The Navajo Project is Personal

“This project is very important because for generations, for Native Americans on the reservations, clean water was not always accessible,” said Anne Sahingoz, who recently joined the Water With Blessings Board of Directors. “I believe clean water is a right, and bringing clean water into a home is a blessing.
 
“This is having an amazing impact in improving the health of many people, and helps make a difference in their lives.”
 
Anne has personal knowledge of the plight of Native Americans.
 
“I am Apache, that’s how I know about life on the reservation,” she said. “I’ve never lived there myself, but my great grandparents and one of my grandfathers lived on the reservation. I know about the life they had.
 
“I’m passionate about ways I can help, especially with basic needs that can be difficult to obtain.”
 
Anne has been impressed with the way Water With Blessings works.
 
“I like the way we reach out to women, who are the center of the home,” she said. “In many native cultures, you have a matriarchal system. When a Water Woman receives her filter, she is able to receive people in her home and offer them something as sacred and simple as clean water.”
On This Father’s Day, Let’s Work to Make Families Healthy
 
When we talk about Water With Blessings, most of what you hear is about Water Women and how mothers are concerned for the health of their children.
 
We don’t say too much about Dads, do we?
 
While they aren’t the ones responsible for the Sawyer PointONE Filters and for providing clean water for three other families, as the Water Women are, the fathers are right there. In many areas we serve, there aren’t many opportunities for full-time employment. Most of the fathers try to find ways to provide for the needs of their families through doing odd jobs or working on farms.
 
And many areas are dangerous, with families living in fear of gangs or desperate individuals. In places without a reliable police presence, often the fathers are the only source of protection for their families.
 
So in honor of these brave, hard-working men, please consider making a gift of a water filter for Father’s Day. For $75, a Sawyer PointONE Filter will be placed in the hands of a Water Woman, and her husband will watch with pride as she helps her own and three other families.
 
You could also make the gift in honor or memory of your own father. It’s as easy as clicking on the button below. May God bless you abundantly for your generosity.
We Pause to Remember
How Blessed We Are
If there is anything this week has shown us, it is that God has put the Water With Blessings Community for Mission on this path, and continues to open avenues for us as we all work together to provide clean water to God’s thirsty children around the world.

In addition to the planned visits and meetings, God’s Providence placed Sr. Larraine in just the right place at the right time, and new opportunities arose.

The foundation of Water With Blessings is prayer, and our prayer always begins with praise and thanksgiving. So once again we lift our hearts and join our hands, thanking God for the many gifts we receive each day, especially for the wonderful, generous people God places along our way.
On Coffee Chat This Week: Sr. Larraine Is Back After Visiting the Navajo Nation
Sr. Larraine is still out in the southwest, journeying through the Navajo Nation and helping to launch our long-awaited project to bring easy access to clean water for families and children there. But she will be back in the office later this week, and on the Coffee Chat will bring you the latest news on the collaborative relationships that are blossoming on the reservation.

And knowing Sr. Larraine, she may have lined up a guest or two to provide even more information.

So grab your beverage and log in to another great Coffee Chat, this coming Friday at Noon Eastern Time. As always, we look forward to having you with us!
Please consider joining our team of crafters, and keep sending us your extra yarn...

As you read above, things are really moving in the Navajo Nation.

But very soon we are going to have great news from Zambia and other parts of the world where our Community for Mission is helping provide clean water for God’s thirsty children.

And in each of those places, we need more of those colorful covers for the filters.

In order to do that, we need more crafters and more yarn!

If you would like to join the team, please click the button below. And as you can see nearby, we can always use your extra yarn.

Thank you again!
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