Selefi will never forget the day her little boy, Johan, died. She always feared that day would come to one of her children; she just didn’t know when. Every day she must draw water from a muddy borehole to provide for her family.

It’s a chore that’s filled with fear because the water she brings home is not good or free of disease. And within hours of drinking that water, Johan began to get very sick with stomach pains and then horrible diarrhea that would not subside. In the following days it only grew worse.

Sheila Walsh, cohost of LIFE TODAY, was with the mission team in Zambia and was deeply impacted by Selefi’s story as she spoke with her. “I know she did what every loving mother would do; she held him, wiped his brow and held his hand – the special touches a mother provides when her child is sick. But that would be the last time she would give comfort to Johan. And that just broke my heart.”

Selefi carried her son to a clinic, desperately hoping for a turnaround in his condition. But only four days later, Johan passed away. She told Sheila,

“He was a good child, a gift from God. I love my children, and my hope for every one of them is to be free of sickness. I want them to be educated and grow up to have a better life.”

It’s every loving parent’s hope for their children, but life here is often cut short, tragically, because of bad water.

Hope for Others

And the fear of it happening again grows daily even as Selefi still grieves. She knows there is nothing she can do to bring Johan back. She has prayed every day for help to come to the village to provide a well, a source of clean water. She told our mission team:

“I still go to the borehole, and every day I pass the grave of my child. That breaks my heart, but I must go because that borehole is our only water supply. And because of that, there are other tragedies occurring like mine. There have been other deaths in the village, as children still get sick,” 

It’s a life filled with sorrow and fear because the single most important need in life – clean water for good health – does not exist in her village. Sheila and our entire team are always touched by the dedication of these mothers and their love for their children. And also their faith in God!

I, too, am always impressed when I hear of the dedication to God from those in the “household of faith” around the world. I consider it a privilege and a responsibility to share their stories with you. And, as I do, I’m also asking you to bless them and give to help with their need.

There is an Answer

This is the last weekend of our 2020 Water for LIFE campaign as we seek the all-important funding to drill the final 150 wells of the year. A water well is truly a life-changing blessing. With the average cost of drilling and establishing a well still at $4,800, and as each well is able to serve 1,000 people, it costs as little as $4.80 to provide a child with years of clean water.

As Selefi has been praying for clean water, many in the world have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and praying for a miraculous breakthrough. Together, we need to continue to pray for God’s blessings and help. He is our source in life, and He is at work around the world.

But whatever gift you can give today, no matter how small, will be an answer to the prayers of many mothers like Selefi. I pray you will give your most generous gift to help share clean water!

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James Robison is The Stream’s founder and publisher. He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today. He’s the author of many books, including Indivisible (with Jay Richards) and Living Amazed.