[MUSIC]
GINGER: WE ALL NEED CLEAN, DRINKABLE WATER.
NOT JUST FOR CONVENIENCE, BUT FOR LIFE ITSELF.
BUT MANY PEOPLE SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS.
BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, IN FACT.
FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES, JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES'
OUTREACH ARM, HAND OF HOPE, HAS DRILLED WATER WELLS
AROUND THE WORLD, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN NOT ONLY SURVIVE,
BUT ALSO IMPROVE THEIR DAILY QUALITY OF LIFE.
ALONG WITH THE HELP OF OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS,
HAND OF HOPE HAS WATER PROJECTS IN OVER 30 COUNTRIES.
AND THIS YEAR CELEBRATES OUR 1,000TH WATER WELL.
OVER HALF OF THESE WELL SITES ARE PART OF OUR
WELL OF LIFE INITIATIVE, WHICH INCLUDES BUILDING
A COMMUNITY CHURCH AT THE SITE.
AS WORLD POPULATION INCREASES, THE NEED FOR WATER
IS MORE URGENT THAN EVER BEFORE.
AND EVERY WATER WELL PROJECT PROVIDES AN OPEN DOOR
TO SHARE CHRIST, GIVING HOPE AND AN OPPORTUNITY
TO CHANGE THE LIVES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DESPERATE FOR WATER,
ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS, WHO ARE TYPICALLY BURDENED
WITH LOCATING AND COLLECTING WATER
FOR THEIR FAMILIES, A DAILY TASK THAT TAKES HOURS,
MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GO TO SCHOOL,
AND PLACING THEM IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
WHEN HURRICANE MARIA DEVASTATED PUERTO RICO,
MANY NEEDS BECAME APPARENT, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH
WAS ACCESS TO SAFE, CLEAN WATER.
HAND OF HOPE REACTED QUICKLY TO HELP, OFFERING CLEANUP,
BOTTLED WATER, AND INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS
TO REPAIR AND OPERATE EXISTING WELLS, PROVIDING WATER
FOR YEARS TO COME.
WE ARE ALSO SUPPLYING WATER TO SOME OF THE WORLD'S
MOST UNREACHED PEOPLE LIVING IN REMOTE AREAS,
SUCH AS THE TANZANIAN BUSH COUNTRY
OF EASTERN AFRICA.
HERE IN THIS DRY AND FORSAKEN LAND,
OUR WATER WELL PROJECTS ARE TACKLING THE WATER CRISIS
THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND OPENING A WAY FOR US
TO ESTABLISH SCHOOLS AND FEEDING PROGRAMS
FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND EVEN MORE REMARKABLE, THE WATER WELL PROJECTS
HAVE STOPPED TRIBAL WATER WARS, AND ARE SAVING GIRLS
FROM HORRIFYING WITCHCRAFT PRACTICES.
[MUSIC]
JOHN: AND THIS PARTICULAR AREA WAS IN DIRE STRAITS.
IN FACT, EARLY ON, YEARS AGO, THEY WERE TELLING US
THAT FIVE OUT OF EVERY TEN OF THE CHILDREN WERE DYING
BEFORE THEY REACHED THE AGE OF FIVE,
MOSTLY FROM WATERBORNE ILLNESS.
GINGER: HALF OF THE CHILDREN DYING BEFORE THEY REACH
THE AGE OF FIVE.
JOHN: IT'S DEPLORABLE.
GIL WAS TELLING ME THAT HE'S ACTUALLY SEEN CHILDREN
DRINKING COW URINE.
GIL: YEAH, AFTER HAND OF HOPE HELP WITH TWO WELLS;
WE HAVE THE WATER, WE DON'T HEARD ANY CHILD DIE.
GINGER: SO, WATER'S THE BEGINNING,
BUT WATER BRINGS HEALTH, IT USHERS IN EDUCATION,
IT BRINGS PEACE TO WARRING PEOPLE,
IT BRINGS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE CHRIST,
TO PLANT A CHURCH.
HOW MANY OPPORTUNITIES GOD HAS GIVEN US
AROUND THIS ONE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT RESOURCE?
JOHN: AND IT'S BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS,
AND IT'S OPENING UP THE DOOR FOR THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL,
WHICH IS TRANSFORMATIONAL IN ITSELF.
GINGER: TRANSFORMED LIVES AND LIVING BETTER
ECHOES GLOBALLY THROUGHOUT ALL HAND OF HOPE OUTREACHES,
ESPECIALLY WITH OUR WATER WELL PROJECTS.
FOR INSTANCE, WITH THE HELP OF OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS,
WE BUILT ONE WATER WELL TEN YEARS AGO
IN HUA SAI, THAILAND, AND NOW IT INCLUDES A CHURCH
AND A CHILDREN'S HOME WHERE THEY RECEIVE QUALITY CARE,
NUTRITIOUS MEALS, AND EDUCATION.
DAVID: IT'S, KIND OF, THE BEST OF ALL PROJECTS
WHEN YOU START WITH PHYSICAL FELT NEEDS:
THE WATER, THE FOOD.
AND THEN YOU BRING IN THE SPIRITUAL COMPONENT,
THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT; IT'S REALLY WHAT WE TRY TO DO
WITH EVERY PROJECT THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE WORLD,
WHICH IS A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO POVERTY ALLEVIATION.
GINGER: WHEREVER GOD CALLS US TO SUPPLY FRESH WATER,
OUR ULTIMATE MISSION IS TO DEMONSTRATE HIS LOVE
AND SHARE HIS LIVING WATER, AND TOGETHER
WE CAN TOUCH MORE LIVES, WE CAN CONTINUE
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE THAT NEED OUR HELP
WITH THIS VERY BASIC NECESSITY: WATER.
[CHEERING]