Steve Young Sends Good News to Givers

Donations Make Clean Water a Reality for Many in Need

Steve Young has joined the Living Waters for the World staff as its full-time administrator effective June 1 of this year. A volunteer for LWW for many years with a background in sales and marketing, Steve oversees all awareness-raising, financial development and administrative matters for the Synod’s water project.

Steve Young

In a thank-you letter to the 200 churches sending donations to the project so far this year, Steve said: “In early 2004, we began a five-day intensive training program called Clean Water U. Taking the knowledge gained from over a decade in the field, we now train and equip church mission groups and others to share the gift of clean water with communities in need, and to empower their partners to continue purifying their water on an ongoing basis. It’s life changing work at it most fundamental level.

“The results of the program have exceeded our greatest expectations. In 2003, Living Waters for the World set an alltime record of four systems installed in two countries within that 12-month span. This year, directly as a result of the Clean Water U program, 25 systems will be installed in seven countries! And it appears that this pace of growth will continue as more and more teams are trained.”

Steve thanks the churches whose support has directly helped make this level of growth possible and sustainable, and has sent each of them a ‘thank-you poster’ for their bulletin board, to let all of the members know how much their help is valued and what they have helped make a reality.

Steve says, “The world’s water crisis is immense, and at times can seem overwhelming, but the Synod’s LWW project, including all the partners in churches throughout the Synod and beyond, are making a difference.”

“We are sending a clear message,” he adds, “that Jesus Christ is indeed living water for our bodies and souls.”

THE LAST WORD by Synod Executive Terry Newland, which usually appears in this space, will return in the October issue. Terry has been out of the office due to the illness and death of his father, the Rev. Dr. Guy Newland.