Wealthy people in the area dug wells close to the river for their own personal use. But Erina wasn't wealthy. Like the other impoverished families in her village, Erina wasn't allowed to access these wells, and she certainly couldn't afford one of her own. That left Erina's family with no choice but to draw water from the local taps—water that was not fit for drinking.
Erina, her husband and their three children lived a normal family life in Asia. Erina's husband, Khaleel, worked as a daily wage laborer, which provided the family with enough to get by. However, their family had no access to good, clean water. It was a dangerous situation for them to be in, especially for Erina's three little ones.
In order to purify the water, families like Erina's may boil their water supply to kill the bacteria. While this method kills most pathogens, bacteria and viruses, it doesn't get rid of the sedimentation that clouds the water1, nor does it take away the bad taste.
Finding Water for Life
In the midst of their struggle, GFA-supported pastor, Pastor Harshad, happened to stop by Erina's home for a visit. During their conversation, Erina shared about her family's struggle for clean water. She told the pastor about the wealthy people nearby who had wells yet kept it to themselves. Pastor Harshad listened to her struggles, and he loved her as Jesus did, offering her hope and encouragement.
Erina listened intently. Could Jesus really turn all impossible things into possible? The thought filled her and her family with joy. Erina's heart was moved, and she was so happy to attend Pastor Harshad's weekly prayer meetings to hear more about Jesus.
As time went by, Erina decided to follow Jesus with her whole life. Her husband also wanted to have a personal relationship with Jesus as well. It was a beautiful time their family would never forget.
Trusting the God Who Provides
A year passed, and though her family still didn't have clean water, Erina continued to trust in the Lord and grow closer to Him. All the while, Pastor Harshad knew Erina and the people in her village needed clean water. Finally, with the help of people around the world, he was able to provide 25 families with brand new BioSand water filters—including Erina's family! These BioSand water filters, which could last up to 20 years of use, required no electricity and purified water in minutes.
Erina (pictured) with her BioSand water filter.
"Now, no more struggle!" … "Really, God is so good."
Erina was so thrilled when she and her family received a BioSand water filter of their own. "Now, no more struggle!" She said. "Having a Bio Sand Water filter was beyond our imagination. But the Lord provided our need. Really, God is so good."
With their new BioSand water filter, Erina, Khaleel and their children won't need to worry about the water they drink and use for cleaning and cooking. And like Erina's family, many other families will be impacted for years to come from simple water filters and other gifts given through GFA's Christmas Gift Catalogue.
Give Christmas Gifts for the Poor
1World Health Organization, Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, Fourth Edition Incorporating the First Addendum. Copyright 2017.