By Kendall Cox
Over the past 30 years, God has brought dozens of communities around the world alongside churches here in the Synod of Living Waters, knitting us together as water partners through Living Waters for the World (LWW). From families in eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, to Cuba, Madagascar, and more than a dozen other countries in between, God invites us to serve side by side. As we reflect on our journey together, a powerful theme emerges, one of mutual transformation through these partnerships.
COVID may have temporarily kept us from visiting in person but it didn’t put a stop to our partnerships. We had to pivot to other channels of communication to stay in touch with one another, becoming fluent in using the tools that were at our disposal. “Water partners always find a way to come together and make it work,” reported one partner. WhatsApp groups were created between partners, sharing photos, videos, sermons, and messages, giving us hope and courage to continue serving together. Little by slowly, LWW partners have been able to get back to visiting again face-to-face, renewing friendships and forging new ones as well.
Here’s just one example of the kind of mutual transformation we have seen (since my own church partners in Cuba, I’ll use a story from there.) LWW was recently invited to a Synod gathering in Cuba that took place at the same time as our Synod meeting here. To say I was blessed to be a part of this gathering is an understatement. I heard story after story of what being the church looks like in action. There are 34 Presbyterian churches in Cuba (Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada en Cuba: IPRC) and the vast majority of them are water partners, faithfully serving their communities clean drinking water. LWW began in Cuba through the Presbyterian Church there, but they didn’t keep the good news and good water to themselves—they shared across many denominations and boundaries and now there are 69 water partnerships in Cuba, at Adventist, Baptist, Episcopal, Quaker, Methodist, Soldiers of the Cross, Salvation Army, Church of God, seminaries, ecumenical organizations, and hospitals, with more on the way in 2025. Water partners here in the US visit regularly and, when they are able to obtain a visa, we are blessed to have partners from Cuba visit us here as well, giving us strength for our continuing journey together.
My church, First Presbyterian Church of Greenville, Mississippi began partnering in Cuba in 2012. God has brought us together with eight partners, three of whom we share with First-Trinity Presbyterian in Laurel, Mississippi. We are grateful to Jerry and Verniece Goode of the Laurel church for inviting us to come alongside them and partners in Cuba—it’s a powerful way to work together. Being a water partner has spilled over into other areas of our church, changing how we serve in our local community as well. As members of our church traveled to Cuba and learned from our church partners there, we saw how they were serving in their community. It was subtle at first but we began to go deeper in prayer and discernment, spending more time listening, and less time rushing in trying to “fix” things. Our eyes and hearts were opened and continue to be opened to a better way to be the church.
It’s better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, but if there’s no one to help, tough!…By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.
–Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12 The Message
During my visit, I was able to talk to Jorge Felix, an elder at Camajuani who serves as a water system operator and a lay leader while they search for a new pastor (our church, too, is looking for a pastor). I asked him if, amidst all the issues Cubans are facing (shortages of food, fuel, medicine, multiple complete collapses of the entire power grid for the whole country) is being a water partner, with all the daily responsibilities that entails, a burden? He shared that being a water partner has changed them. His own family is impacted because they now have clean water to drink. But the gift goes beyond that for him and for his church. “This is an opportunity to serve our community and have an impact on the health of so many people. We have ten people—neighbors—who are not members of the church but have been coming here for water and they want to be trained as operators so they too can serve. So for me, it is a privilege to serve, not a burden, rather a blessing.”
Pastor Izett Samá Hernández, the Synod Moderator, closed the synod meeting with this reminder to us all, “God asks us to bear fruit for the good of others—practical fruit in accordance to Jesus’ call. Our fruits should also invite others to serve their fruits. Are the fruits we are rendering working for the good of our community? This is our responsibility. Love one another, in concrete ways of practice (not distracted by tediousness). Give the fruits in love. We know we are going to have difficulties (like blackouts). We are going out to serve people who have no food or medicines for their children. We might think sometimes we aren’t necessary. We are fertile soil. Render the real fruits with love. Testify to the love of Christ.”
Such a strong witness! May we go forth and do likewise, together.
A Call to Action through Mutual Mission
The work of Living Waters for the World is far from over. As we move forward, we remain committed to mutual transformation through partnerships. With the support of dedicated partners, donors, and volunteers, we can continue to make clean water a reality, one community at a time. We invite you to be part of this transformative journey. Whether through donations, being trained as water partners, or spreading awareness, your involvement can change a whole community—and your church as well.
LWW is grateful for the continued support of the Synod of Living Waters! Here are some of places where churches within our synod are partnering on water:
Belize Brazil Cuba Dominican Republic El Salvador Ghana Guatemala Haiti Honduras Kentucky
Kenya Madagascar Nicaragua Peru Tennessee