Project 2019-011

Saen-Ou-Dom village is a rural village located in the hills of Xieng Ngern district of Laos. This village received a water connection with a few taps from the government in 2014, but the water source for the connection has since dried-up and now provides little water. Because there not nearly enough water for the people, the villagers argue, and sometimes physically fight, with one another. The taps are crowded with women and children with empty water containers waiting to get a share of a very small quantity of water.

Because the water source is dried-up, some people walk up into the mountain 1.3 miles for water. It is an hour to reach the mountain spring (which will serve as the water source for this project). The people get water for their families once a day, after they come back from working in their fields. They are only sending adults to get water thinking this is safer than sending the children as they often go in the evening for water.  Carrying water back from the mountain is difficult, so there is little extra water for bathing, which the people work who outside all day in fields desperately desire. There is also little water for laundry and other household use, as wells as for watering animals.

When the people are desperate, they collect water from the surface brooks nearby their fields and carry it home for their families to use. Drinking this water causes malaria and diarrhea, sending some to the hospital.

This project will have a huge impact on the community. The people suffer from lack of accessible water. There is a clean water source, but it is an hour walk uphill to reach it and carrying heavy water jugs back home is difficult. When this project has been completed, it will bring the spring water to the people, and there will be abundant water for the community.

Completed November 22, 2019

This project is complete. The community of Saen-Ou-Dom Village, Laos is now drinking clean, safe water.

The gravity feed cistern and piping system for Saen Ou Dom has been completed and the community is so happy now that clean water has come to their village. No longer do they have to trek up into the mountain if they want water, or drink it from the open streams after their other water source dried up. They are enjoying safe, clean water to drink and have water for all of their basic household needs – cooking, bathing, and laundry. The water is right there at the taps! The gift to bring water into the village was such a blessing. They were facing such a hard time, rain was really lacking this year and was causing extra suffering and strife. Instead of lacking water, this community has water for their families! It is because of your love, compassion, and financial support. Thank you so much for changing their lives. Praise the Lord!

Our partners faithfully visited this village to teach the Bible to the Christians in the village. Now, they report how the gift of the water project has now opened the door wide to visit openly and do ministry and share the Gospel with the whole village.

Here is the story of one family who came to the Lord after the water system had been installed. Our ministry partner Somboun writes, “They are not only receiving water for their family, but also salvation for their family! We spend the night every trip, we spend time to teach our new believers the Bible, hymn songs, and worship songs. After finished evening worship these believers will stayed and learn new songs from us until late of night, they were not tired nor boring even they have worked whole day at their fields. On Sunday mornings, they came to us before church time since they need to spend longer time with us to learn more.”

“I observe now every time when we visit our believers at this village we feel we are secure, the people are very friendly to us even though they do not know us before, and has helped us to be able to help mature these new believers all because this water system was installed for their community. We praise God for this project able to bring peace to this community! Thank you very much for your kindness, love and help, we could not do ministry at this village so freely, except for your help, please pray for us while we continue maturing believers at this village, pray that they may grow in their faith and lead the entire of village to the Lord. May the peace and love from our Father be yours.”

Thank you so much!

 Testimonies:

Saen Ou Dom Chief: “On behalf of Sen Ou Dom villagers, I’d like to thank you for your love and help, we had faced with lacking of water for our community for long time and we were so worry about this. We thank you for (Christian) believers at this village who brought you and this project to help our community, it is because of your love and help the water has come to our village and our dry community has turned to live, your love and help has been provided water for our people and livestock.”

Mr. Don, a house church leader: “The water we have received from you does not only watering our community, but also unite us with unbelievers at this village. Our neighbors who are not believers and did not like us before, now become friends and speak nice to us because of the water project. This project not only bring water to our community, but also unity, and friendship between Christian and unbelievers Thank you. God bless you.”

Mrs. Kham: “I am glad that we can bless this community by this project, our children and our neighbors’ children walk together in peace, this water project is like the bridge connect people at our community.”