A Stream of Hope for Maritza 

Sometimes, you could smell it before you could see it.  

The buckets of water Maritza carried home each day were murky and foul. Still, she handed a cup to her four-year-old grandson and watched him drink, worrying that the next swallow would make him sick… again. 

That dirty water was all they had. 

For years, in her little Nicaraguan village, hauling unsafe water home had been part of everyday life. Even at age 62, she was walking more than a mile each day to collect water for herself, her daughter, and her grandson. During dry months, the springs ran low. When the rains came, the water turned muddy with runoff from nearby fields. 

Most days, every drop was reserved for drinking and cooking. There was rarely enough for proper bathing or cleaning. Never enough to grow their own vegetables or tend animals. Illness was common. Hardship was constant.  

Unsafe water had seeped into every part of their lives… until your compassion brought a steady stream of hope. 

Thanks to generous supporters like you, Advance Community and its local partners, AVODEC and GRID ALTERNATIVE, were able to install a clean, reliable water system in Maritza’s village. Now, Maritza and families throughout her community have running water right outside their doors. When they turn on the faucet, they can trust that what flows out is safe. 

And for Maritza, that gift has changed everything. 

She no longer begins every morning with an exhausting trip, carrying heavy buckets on her aging shoulders. Those days are over. Instead of spending hours collecting water, she now has time. Time to care for her grandson, time to rest, and time to grow vegetables to feed herself and her family. 

With safe water close at hand, Martiza no longer worries with every drink she gives her grandson. She has enough water to wash properly, cook safely, and tend small crops. Her family is getting sick less often. There is more food on the table. They are better nourished and have more energy. 

Today, life looks different for Maritza’s family in the most wonderful ways. When she fills a cup from her own faucet, she does it with confidence and gratitude: 

“The water that comes out of our house today is not just water…it is life, it is the future, it is dignity. Thank you to those who believed in us and gave us the opportunity to change our destiny.” 

The steady stream of hope Martiza feels is flowing far beyond her doorstep. Throughout her village and across the globe, families like hers who once lived in constant hardship are finding stability, health, and renewed hope because of your compassion and generosity.