As the two men walked through the village, they noted destitution, poverty and another problem common to many communities: poor sanitation. Each home bore these same signs, which made it clear there were no suitable sanitation facilities, no toilets. Something needed to be done; the villagers couldn’t live like this. The two Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionaries then resolved on a plan to help these families.
Unavoidable Dangers
Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Nikolos, his wife and their two sons lived and served in a rural village where the main source of income was daily labor, followed by farming. Most families barely made enough to keep themselves afloat. As it was, every single penny earned went for food and providing for any emergency needs. Anything else was completely out of the question—including toilets.
When Pastor Nikolos walked through his village, what he saw dismayed him. Without a designated and safe area to relieve themselves, the villagers used any private place they could find, which was normally the area around their homes. The unsanitary conditions were unfit for anyone to live in. But the environment was perfect for something: infection. Poor sanitation is a leading cause of diarrheal diseases, according to the World Health Organization—and diarrheal diseases are among the foremost causes of death in children. So not only did the villagers live in constant fear of disease, but when they relieved themselves at night, they also risked poisonous insects and venomous snakes.
The villagers couldn’t live like this, and Pastor Nikolos knew it.
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Learn how to help protect people’s health, prevent diseases and help cure illnesses through donating towards Medical Camps, Mosquito Nets and constructing Outdoor Toilets.
Learn more by reading this GFA World Special Report: Fight Against Open Defecation Continues – Using Outdoor Toilets to Improve Sanitation
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