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Lent Activity: Learn About Germs in Water

In many developing countries around the world, young girls and their mothers are tasked with collecting water each morning. This challenging chore often requires them to make a long journey to a stream, pond or hand-dug well — water sources that are usually unsafe and unreliable. Sometimes those sources dry up. At other times, they are too muddy or shared with animals that also drink from them. Because bacteria, animal waste and parasites can easily contaminate open water sources, the people who drink from them can become very ill.

“Do children in America also collect water from rivers and streams?”

Patricia posed this heartbreaking question when we visited her family in Chilipapa, an isolated village in the mountains overlooking Lake Malawi. The young girl was sure that children everywhere must walk long distances to collect unclean water that could possibly make them sick.

We know the relationship between unclean water and sickness is due to the spread of germs and viruses. To help children understand the spread of germs and the power of hygiene, complete this black pepper activity as a family.

Getting Started

Materials you’ll need:

A bowl filled with water
Black pepper
A small container of dish soap

Directions:

Imagine that the black pepper is germs. Shake plenty of it into the bowl filled with water — enough so that it floats across the surface of the bowl.
Dip your finger in the water and watch what the pepper does. Has it moved at all?
Pull your finger out of the bowl and note that pepper flakes are probably stuck to it.
Now, dip your finger into the dish soap until the tip is covered in soap.
Take that finger and dip it again into the bowl of pepper water. What happens?

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Tips for Parents

As you work through this activity with your kids, take the time to pause and help illustrate the needs of children in developing countries. Here are some points you may want to emphasize.

In America, our water comes from clean wells and public water systems and is filtered before we drink it. This process helps get rid of any germs and viruses in our water supply. That means it does not make us sick!
In some parts of developing countries like Malawi (where Patricia is from), the water is not clean. It’s exposed, muddy and often shared with animals, but people in those areas need to use it for drinking and cleaning.
As you do the activity, notice how the pepper “germs” stick to your finger when you don’t use soap. In the same way, dirty water is carrying germs and making families in developing countries sick!
Notice how the pepper germs rush away from your finger when it’s covered in dish soap. In the same way, when we help build clean wells, we can stop germs and viruses from hurting families through their water.

Share what you learned, and remember to tag Cross Catholic Outreach on Facebook or Instagram.

Bring Clean Water to Children in Need

There are children around the world who rely on unsafe water to survive. They get sick time after time, but it is all they have to drink. When you pray, fast and give on behalf of those who need clean water, you will change kids’ lives by building community water systems that bring hope and relief. Give now and deliver clean, refreshing water to families in Africa this Lent.

Donate to Make a Difference

Originally published October 2024. Last updated October 2025.

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Michele Sagarino

Michele Sagarino, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, has nearly three decades of experience in nonprofit leadership. After graduating from the University of Maryland, Michele answered the call on her life to begin service for various charitable organizations, including Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Gateway Community Outreach and Food For The Poor. She joined Cross Catholic Outreach in 2004 and served as vice president for development for 15 years. Through the years, Michele has been an important leader in the organization. Her expertise and heart for service will continue to lead us forward with wisdom and integrity, allowing us and our donors to impact even more lives.

Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.