Water Weekend in West Virginia
Jennifer Massey (pictured left in photo) bathes her children in contaminated water. The choice is that or not bathing them at all. In the Appalachian Mountain community of Prenter, West Virginia, where she lives, the water in most households contains elevated levels of lead, arsenic, and manganese. Before the contamination was discovered, Massey and her family drank the same water as her 29-year-old brother, who died from a brain tumor.
Many members of the Prenter community cite local mining activity—including the practice of mountaintop removal—for the pollution in their well water. Unusually high amounts of minerals from disposed rock during the mining process filter down into the groundwater system and pollute community wells.
Globally, one in six people lacks access to safe drinking water. Though not as widespread an issue in the United States as in developing countries, unclean drinking water does affect people in this country.
WATER WEEKEND
When Sarah Soltow heard about the water situation in Prenter, she wanted to help. Sarah is executive director of Community Lutheran Partners, Inc. (CLP), a social ministry organization that is supported by an ELCA Domestic Hunger Grant. CLP’s mission is “to enable and support congregations of the West Virginia–Western Maryland Synod and others in service to their neighbors.”
Given the power of sin and evil in this world, as well as the complexity of environmental problems, we know we can find no ‘quick fix’—whether technological, economic, or spiritual. A sustainable environment requires a sustained effort from everyone.
Caring for Creation, ELCA social statement
Last spring, Sarah and Jennifer collaborated to organize “Water Weekend.” CLP provided 2,000 gallons of safe drinking water for Jennifer’s community. In turn, Jennifer coordinated local efforts to assemble two public panel presentations. One panel was made up of local educators who discussed the importance of safe water, and another panel hosted community members who spoke about personal experiences with water contamination. Groups of CLP volunteers went door-to-door delivering water and educational pamphlets about the importance of safe water. Many people in Prenter did not know they were drinking contaminated water or about the high frequency of brain tumors and other serious illnesses in the community. Jennifer and her husband led one of four groups that altogether visited nearly 200 homes in one day.
“Although the 2,000 gallons of water was a wonderful form of relief,” said Jennifer, “in my opinion the greatest thing that came of…‘Water Weekend’ was knowledge.”
A portion of your gifts to ELCA World Hunger support antihunger ministries in the United States—like Community Lutheran Partners, Inc.—through the Domestic Hunger Grants Program. For more information about this program, visit the Domestic Hunger Grants Program.—Aaron Cooper is writer-editor for ELCA World Hunger