Water Changes Everything

2 days ago
8 min read

Sunday, June 7, 2026 - [click here to support the continuing work at MOHI]

Today's update is from Alexis, Jonathan, and Taran

Sometimes the things we depend on most are the things we think about the least.

For many of us, clean water is available with the turn of a faucet. We drink it, cook with it, wash with it, and rarely stop to consider what life would be like without it.

But for many of the families we serve in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, access to clean water is not guaranteed.

Water impacts everything.

It affects health. It affects education. It affects nutrition. It affects whether children can focus in school, whether families can stay healthy, and whether communities can thrive.

As you read this week's updates, you'll see how something as simple as clean water touches nearly every area of ministry. You'll also hear from Jonathan about the impact water is having in the communities where we serve and the work that still remains ahead.

Dominican Republic Updates

Serving Alongside Full Gospel Interdenominational Church

This past week we were blessed to welcome a team from Full Gospel Interdenominational Church in Connecticut.

It is always amazing to see what happens when people come together to serve.

The team jumped right into ministry, helping build benches for the community center in La Grua. Once the benches were completed, team members gathered around them to pray and write Bible verses on the seats. Long after the team returns to their homes, these benches will continue serving as places where children learn, families gather, and relationships are built.

The team also participated in church services throughout the week. Anabel shared a special song during one service, and multiple team members had opportunities to encourage local congregations through teaching and testimony.

One of the most meaningful parts of every mission trip continues to be home visits. Sitting with families, listening to their stories, and praying with them in their own homes creates opportunities for genuine connection that often leave a lasting impact on everyone involved.

To our friends at FGIC, thank you for serving alongside us. We are grateful for your partnership, your friendship, and your heart for ministry.

Growing Through Agriculture

This year we have invited visiting teams to become more involved in our agriculture projects.

For many visitors, helping care for chickens, feeding rabbits, or working in the garden is a completely new experience. Yet these simple tasks help tell the story of sustainability and stewardship.

The eggs produced by our chickens support feeding programs. The gardens help provide food for teams and communities. These projects may seem small, but they are important pieces of a larger vision to care for people in practical ways.

Ministry Through Music

It is always a joy to watch young people use their gifts to encourage others.

This past Sunday, Micha and Ellie shared a special song with friends in the community. Music has a unique way of bringing people together and pointing hearts toward the Lord, regardless of language or culture.

A Favorite Visitor

Of course, it is always fun to see Pastor Lex spending time with the children.

Wherever he goes, children seem to gather around him. They love having him visit, laugh with them, and share in their daily lives.

Moments like these remind us that ministry is not only about programs and projects—it is about relationships.

Haiti Updates

Caring for the Littlest Ones

Many recent visitors to the Dominican Republic have learned about our baby feeding programs there. What many people do not realize is that we operate a similar program in Haiti as well.

Each day, approximately 35 babies receive nutritional support through our feeding program in Grand Goâve.

We have learned that investing in children early matters. Proper nutrition during infancy and early childhood helps support healthy growth, development, and future learning.

These little ones may not remember every meal they receive, but the impact on their lives will last for years to come.

Physical Therapy Clinic Continues to Grow

The new Physical Therapy Clinic continues to be an exciting addition to the services available through our Haiti clinic.

Physical therapy is still relatively uncommon in many parts of Haiti, making this a unique opportunity for patients who otherwise might never receive this type of care.

Each week we hear encouraging stories from patients who are regaining strength, improving mobility, and experiencing greater independence. We are excited to see how this program continues growing and serving the community.

Health Education During Malaria Season

Our clinic continues caring for patients affected by malaria.

In addition to providing treatment, our team is focused on education and prevention. Patients receive guidance on recognizing symptoms, protecting themselves from mosquito exposure, and caring for family members who may become sick.

Education remains one of the most effective tools we have for improving long-term health outcomes in the communities we serve.

Finishing the School Year Strong

Students are preparing for final exams this coming week as another school year begins drawing to a close.

Graduation and our end-of-year celebration are scheduled for June 28, and we are excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our students.

Even during the summer months, we remain committed to staying connected with children and families through ongoing programs and activities.

Watching these students learn, grow, and prepare for the future continues to be one of the greatest joys of the ministry.

Sun, Sea, and Sisterhood

Register today: https://mohintl.breezechms.com/form/b2552e1911

Update from Jonathan

Water Changes Everything

There are some lessons that can only be learned by seeing them with your own eyes.

This past week, we had the privilege of hosting a HOPE Team from Full Gospel Interdenominational Church (FGIC) here at Mission of Hope International in Luperón, Dominican Republic. Throughout the week, they participated in Vacation Bible School activities, community outreach, worship, relationship-building, and service projects in several of the rural communities where we work.

While there were many powerful moments throughout the week, one reality became clear almost immediately: access to clean water changes everything.

For many of us, water is something we rarely think about. We turn on a faucet and expect it to flow. We fill a glass, take a shower, wash our hands, make coffee, fill a swimming pool, or grab a bag of ice without a second thought.

But for many of our friends living in the Haitian migrant communities where we serve, water is not guaranteed.

In the community of La Grua, Mission of Hope International has worked diligently to improve access to potable water. Through the generosity of donors and partners, we were able to drill a well that now provides approximately 1,000 gallons of water each day to the surrounding community.

The impact has been life-changing.

Families have greater access to safe drinking water. Children are healthier. We have seen reductions in water-borne illnesses and fewer skin conditions that often result from using contaminated water sources. The overall health and well-being of the community has improved significantly.

Yet even with these improvements, the need remains great.

One thousand gallons per day sounds like a lot until you consider the number of people who depend on it. The reality is that we still cannot provide 24-hour access to potable water for every family in La Grua. We believe access to clean water should be a basic human right, and while we are proud of the progress that has been made, we know there is still more work to do.

We continue to improve our delivery systems, expand our capacity, and search for sustainable solutions that will allow families greater and more consistent access to clean water.

Just a short distance away lies another community: Baraguana.

Unlike La Grua, Baraguana currently has no community water source supported through our programs.

The need there is even more apparent.

On the very first day of outreach with the FGIC HOPE Team, many of the children participating in VBS began approaching team members asking for "agua" or "dlo"—water.

The temperatures were especially high throughout the week. Every outdoor activity required constant hydration simply to remain healthy and safe. Each day, our team transported approximately ten gallons of water into the community, in addition to every participant carrying their own personal water bottle.

Even that wasn't always enough.

There were moments when we needed to purchase additional drinking water simply to ensure everyone remained hydrated while serving alongside our friends in the villages. Meanwhile, many of the families we were working with had access only to water they could afford to purchase themselves or water gathered from public sources that may or may not be treated and safe for consumption.

For many members of the FGIC team, particularly the younger participants, this reality became one of the most discussed topics of the week.

Every evening, during our reflection and processing sessions, conversations returned to water.

Why should something so basic be so difficult to obtain?

Why do some communities have unlimited access while others struggle daily?

How can this still be happening?

At the end of each day, our team returned to the Mission House. There was electricity. There were showers. There was clean drinking water. There was ice. There was even a swimming pool available to cool off after long days in the heat.

The water crisis extended far beyond the villages we were visiting. During our week in Luperón, local elementary and middle schools were facing a significant challenge of their own. With water supplies becoming increasingly scarce, school administrators were forced to ask the parents of more than 400 students to send drinking water with their children each day.

The problem, of course, was that many families were unable to do so because they themselves lacked reliable access to water at home.

When Mission of Hope International learned of the need, we knew we had to respond. Together with our friends from Full Gospel Interdenominational Church, we filled and delivered hundreds of five-gallon water jugs to help meet the immediate need. Those containers were transported to the school and stored in their water depot, providing a vital reserve of drinking water for students, teachers, and staff who otherwise would have gone without. The effort revealed just how widespread the water shortage had become. When we attempted to arrange for a local water truck to refill the reserves at the MOHI Mission House so we could filter and treat additional water, we discovered that the crisis was affecting the entire municipality.

With only a handful of water delivery trucks serving the area, none were available. Seeing the urgency of the situation, the local fire department stepped in and joined the effort, delivering water to support the project. It was a powerful reminder that even in the midst of scarcity, communities can come together to care for one another. What began as a challenge became a beautiful example of collaboration, compassion, and shared responsibility for the well-being of our neighbors.

So, how do we do more?

We can do more because of people like our friends from FGIC who chose to leave the comfort of home, travel to the Dominican Republic, and spend a week walking alongside communities that many people will never see.

Every HOPE Encounter creates opportunities for transformation—not just for the communities we serve, but also for the people who come and serve alongside us.

At Mission of Hope International, we believe we can build a future where every family in La Grua, Baraguana, and beyond has access to safe, reliable drinking water.

Will you be a force for good—not just in word, but in action?

Closing Thoughts

Whether it is a glass of clean water, a meal for a child, a prayer in someone's home, a new bench in a community center, or a patient receiving physical therapy, every act of service helps create opportunities for hope.

We are grateful for each team, each supporter, and each partner who makes this work possible.

Together, we are helping communities grow stronger, healthier, and more connected.

And sometimes, the things that change lives the most begin with something as simple as water.