Clean Water Comes to Nicaragua!

Born and raised in the community of Las Pilas, Guadalupe knows too well what it’s like to depend on inadequate water sources. He lives with his wife, Freddy, in a humble home near his grown children, who help him tend the family farm.

Unlike most of the communities where we’ve provided water, Las Pilas already had infrastructure in place to pump water to local households. Unfortunately, that infrastructure was damaged and lacked the necessary capacity. As a result, the system ran for only six to seven hours a day, and some days there was no water at all.

To compensate, Guadalupe and his neighbors would draw water from contaminated hand-dug wells, putting themselves at risk of waterborne illnesses. They also developed a habit of saving the water they collected, but these supplies became breeding grounds for disease due to a lack of equipment for proper storage.

When Guadalupe learned about the clean water project, he worried Las Pilas would not qualify because of the existing system.

“A team member came to our community to evaluate our water system, which was only half-functional,” Guadalupe said. “When a man returned and told us our project was approved, all I could say was ‘bendito sea el Señor’ — blessed be the Lord.”

Instead of installing a brand-new system, our ministry partner was able to repair and expand the original system. Guadalupe was chosen to lead the committee responsible for maintaining the system and making sure everyone in the community did their part.

“The way the community came together to dig ditches for the system surprised even me. The passion everyone had was so clear. Everyone had a part to play. It made me so happy to see the community come together like that,” Guadalupe said.

“On June 17, our dream became reality: clean drinking water in our community, available 24/7. At 2 in the afternoon, at 1 in the morning — it doesn’t matter what time it is. Any time of day, I can always open the faucet and have water. How amazing is that?”

Guadalupe described how this change has impacted the community. “It wasn’t that long ago that the river was always full — women washing clothes, children collecting water, people bathing. Now, you don’t see people at the river very much because people have clean water right at home.”

Guadalupe also celebrated the friendships he has formed with the people who brought this project to Las Pilas, from the project director to the electrical engineer to the community advocates who went door to door learning about local needs and educating families on health and sanitation.

“I didn’t know any of these people before, but we got along so well. They are my friends now, and I am so grateful for the labor of love they did here. From me and from the entire community of Las Pilas, thank you.”