Dying of Thirst

“But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again….” (John 4:14, NLT)

“…A child dies every eight seconds from dehydration or water-borne diseases,” said Donna Ohs. “It doesn’t have to be this way….”

Jerry and Donna Ohs first heard about Wycliffe Bible Translators and its work around the world at a Wycliffe Dinner Theatre event years ago. Soon they began partnering with Wycliffe financially through the Wycliffe Foundation and participated in some short-term mission trips.

Giving Clean Water

Meanwhile they both attended a conference hosted by Lifewater International—a Christian development organization that works to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education to those needing it around the world. “We both got pretty excited about clean water,” said Jerry.

After receiving training on a new bio-sand filter, Jerry and Donna realized that they could combine their love for God’s Word with their passion for clean water. They began working with Wycliffe Associates to identify locations where existing Bible translation teams needed help developing clean water sources.

Making Filters

Building on the information he received from Lifewater, Jerry developed his own method for making filters. Instead of heavy steel and welded construction, Jerry’s design is built from light-weight galvanized metal—a process that takes half the time and can easily be done in the field with available materials.

Once coached in Jerry’s construction method, local people can build up to one filter per day, exponentially increasing their supply of clean water. “The verifying testimony is when a mother comes back and says ‘You know, since we’ve been using it, my children haven’t been sick’,” Jerry said.

The Ohs hope their efforts will not only provide clean water for people all around the world, but will also open doors for Bible translation where people might otherwise be resistant. Few people can argue with the need for clean water, but only God’s Word can quench their spiritual thirst.

Adapted from a longer article by Dustin Moody, entitled, “But the people were thirsty….” Read the full article.