Vol. 2, Issue 3 March 2015

CANAa Wine To Water Publication

winetowater.org

Wine to Water is a movement dedicated to providing clean water and sanitation to people in need around

the world.

We are a 501c3 non-profit aid organization

Table of Contents

Page 3: An Open Invitation

Page 4: Volunteer: Why, What, How

Page 5: Volunteer Testimonials

Page 6: Project Partner Highlight

Page 7: Philippines Photos

CANA [KAY-nuh]: A small village in Galilee where Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding. The miraculous but simple gift allowed the community gathered to continue in celebration. We celebrate the gift of clean water by providing for those in need around the world. (John 2:1-11).

CANA Vol. 2, Issue 3 March

“CANA” is Wine to Water’s digital monthly publication for you to stay up to date with what we are doing and what we hope to do.

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An Open InvitationLet’s face it; the global water crisis is something that Westerners have a hard time fully comprehending.  We do not have to travel miles down a dirt path to get ourselves a glass of water, nor do we have to go to the community well and pump out a bucket of clean water by hand for our family each day. We have clean drinking water served right out of the tap, at virtually no cost, in every single restaurant.  We also have the option to take long hot showers everyday; it’s a resource that we can definitely take for granted.

This is why the Volunteer Program at Wine To Water was established.  Just over a year ago, in January 2014, we launched the volunteer program to deepen our understanding of what our planet is facing in regards to this precious resource: water.  We wanted to invite our supporters to come and see first-hand how the water crisis is affecting 2.5 billion people worldwide.

Statistics typically go in one ear and out the other, but experiences can last a lifetime.  I can tell you that every 21 seconds a child dies from a water-borne illness, yet after 42 seconds, you haven’t really grasped that two children are no longer breathing.  But when you see some of these statistics, or better yet, people, with your own eyes, it is inevitable that you will want to do something about it.

As the Wine To Water Volunteer Coordinator, I want to personally invite you to join us in the field. We are currently offering service trips to five countries, around the globe, throughout the year. You can come as an individual or as an organized group. As our founder Doc Hendley says, “My efforts are going to be a drop in the bucket, but if I would have never taken that step, because it was too big of a problem, then we wouldn’t be anywhere right now.”  Together, we can fill buckets!  Come, join us!

Lisa MerrittWTW Volunteer Coordinator

The Wine To Water Volunteer Program started in January of 2014. Last year, 85 volunteers worked alongside our ground partners all over the world. For more information, please visit winetowater.org/service-trip.

If you have questions about the Wine To Water Volunteer Program, please email Lisa at lisa@winetowater.org.

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Volunteer: Why, What, HowPurpose & ExpectationsThe primary purpose of a volunteer trip is three-fold; we want our volunteers to learn about the water crisis, engage with the culture, and support our efforts in fighting this epidemic. This starts when you register for a trip and doesn’t end when you get home. Your experience will last a lifetime.

What will I do on a service trip?Volunteers’ tasks will primarily include water projects and community development.  Volunteers work alongside our ground partners to provide sustainable clean water and educational resources.

We expect our volunteers to come ready to:

-Serve-Get their hands dirty-Work hard for the duration of the trip

We must emphasize that Wine To Water service trips are not a vacation, but they are definitely an adventure.

It’s easy! The first step in becoming a WTW volunteer is to fill out the online application at winetowater.org/service-trip.

How do I sign up?

Once we receive your application and references, we will get back to you within a week. Accepted applicants are able to register for any of our scheduled trips that are offered. We will then walk you through the step-by-step process of what all is needed for your trip.

Depending on the location, this work could include making ceramic filters, digging a new well, repairing an old well, building a rainwater harvest tank, and/or making a bio-sand filter.  During our time in the field, we focus on building lasting relationships within the community so that the experience continues past the flight home.

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Volunteer TestimonialsNow that I'm back home in Tampa, I want to take my experience with Wine To Water even further by bringing enough awareness to the water crisis and building a strong enough support system to begin our very own city chapter. -Kaylie Kushmer: Brazil, October 2014

I hope to join WTW on another trip in the future. I am eager to share my experience with others and hope they join you in the fight to end the worlds water crisis as well. -Lindsey Kohen: Cambodia, June 2014

This trip exceeded my expectations!-Robin White: Domincan Republic, November 2014

My Wine to Water trip to the DR was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It was a thrill to meet so many people from all walks of life and see the difference we were able to make in their lives, and the difference they made in ours.-Alex Tragakes: Dominican Republic, January 2015

Just walk over to your computer, sign on to winetowater.org and sign up for a service trip - stop thinking, stop waiting, stop worrying - start following the path of what you MUST DO! Do it! Right now! Go ahead!-Donnell Wolff: Colombia, May 2014

Don’t wait, plan your trip now! Go with an open heart and learn to open your hands, stretching them wide to grasp not just the possibilities but the realities of life without the resources we are accustomed to. -Yvette & Dennis Loovorn : Domincan Republic, Nov. 2014

Service work is more than just going to do a good deed for others, it is about a genuine hands on experience. Service work also involves interacting with the people who teach us and learning about them, as well.-Alejandra Hernandezs: Uganda, March 2015

One of my favorite parts of the trip was working through the night to dig the well and of course interacting with the children in San Antonio, Colombia. I definitely left with a heart to serve others.-Lance Beam: Colombia, May, 2014

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Project Partner HighlightWine to Water has partnered with Jonnette Alquizola’s Children of the Coast Foundation for over one year. Initially and primarily, our work has focused on providing water filtration technologies for households and elementary schools. Now, uniquely, we are witnessing that our ‘projects’ are developing into ‘comprehensive programs’. We look forward to our continued work with CCF as we accelerate improved health outcomes for children and communities.

Our main work at Children of the Coast is to provide health education and preventive healthcare to indigent communities. WASH (Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene) programs are integral to our work, but have been a challenge to deliver in areas where water is not easily available. This is when we asked Wine to Water to come in, to fill in that crucial gap.

UNICEF emphasizes a three-pillar approach to a good WASH Program: (1) Water and Sanitation Services, (2) Behavioral Change and (3) Enabling Environments. In the communities we work in, providing Water and Sanitation Services is the first step to fostering an Enabling Environment – and Wine to Water’s projects did exactly that, consequently providing my team with a springboard to promote Behavioral Change.

What’s beautiful about these collaborative projects is that we’ve harnessed our respective organization’s strengths effectively. It is only in working this way that we are able to catalyze our impact on the community, providing something comprehensive, cohesive and sustainable – and these three qualities, to me, constitute the pillars of any worthwhile program.

Jonnette Alquizola

Jonnette

(middle) and a

few of the

children that

CCF supports.

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Philippines Photos

Students (K-6) are required to bring water to school from their own homes. They collect water and use it for drinking as well as flushing toilets. Often, children are asked to fetch

water in between classes. Or simply collect rain with makeshift systems.

We employ and utilize local craftsman. A typical project, as seen above, is designed to provide strength to a building’s roofing structure and ultimatley create a more efficient,

and robust rain water collection system.

Philippines Photos

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We install outdoor tarp signs next to each tank to remind the community about responsible use and conservation of water, as well as to educate the children on

proactive ways to utilize water for health, hygiene and sanitation.

Because of the design (utilizing two school buildings), it only takes 2 hours of rain to fill up

the 1,500L tank.

Philippines Photos

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“Our efforts are just a drop in the bucket. But if we hadn’t of taken

that first step, we wouldn’t be anywhere right now.”

-Doc Hendley