Jesus Wells proclaim the message of God’s love as they provide pure water to families in need.

Every day, Jadine fetched water from the Jesus Well. Just as she carried a jug of water—a physical burden—home with her, she carried a burden on her mind. She likely saw the plaque on the well engraved with Jesus’ words in John 4 referring to “living water.” Perhaps she wondered what those words meant. Was there someone who could fill her life with living water so she didn’t need to keep carrying burdens with her?

Meeting a New Friend

One night while drawing water, Jadine met someone who could tell her about this Jesus whose words were etched on the well. GFA pastor Lavan, who led the church nearby, began to talk with her, and something compelled her to tell the pastor about the burdens her family carried. She and her husband toiled as daily wage labourers, and their family faced hardships because of their poverty.

“Do not worry about anything,” Pastor Lavan told her. “Jesus Christ will help you to meet all your needs. Please come to the church on Sunday so that all the believers can pray for you.”

Dallan (pictured) came to know Christ after seeing God not only provide clean water for his family but also take care of them in the wake of loss.

Jadine did visit Pastor Lavan’s church, and the whole congregation lifted her up in prayer. As time went on, Pastor Lavan came to Jadine’s home every week to encourage her and pray for her and her family.

Burdens Lifted

Though they had a new friend in Pastor Lavan, Jadine’s family soon faced another blow: Jadine’s husband died during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jadine’s son, Dallan, suddenly found the responsibility of the family on his young shoulders, but he had no work. How could he take care of his mother and sister?

Hearing of Dallan’s worries, Pastor Lavan encouraged the young man from God’s Word, prayed for him and invited him to church. When the believers there also prayed for Dallan, God lifted the burden from his heart and strengthened his spirit. He also opened the door for Dallan to get a job at a chicken farm so he could provide for his family.

Jadine and Dallan could hardly believe God’s blessings on their family in the wake of family tragedy, and they put their faith in Jehovah Jireh. This family has tasted of the living water of which the Jesus Well proclaims. They have seen that the Lord is good. Their lives are being transformed by Christ’s love, and its thanks to partners like you who provide clean water through GFA’s clean water projects.

Jesus Wells bring joy to entire communities.

Miron, a farmer and daily labourer, needed to stay healthy to provide for his family. Yet, once again, his body was swollen and refused to function properly. Miron’s wife and three children also suffered from various illnesses, many of them from the same cause: unclean water.

Family Seeks Health

Living in a remote area, the only water source for Miron’s family was an open well, unprotected from contaminants that might cause illness. Neighbours suggested the family visit witch doctors to seek a cure for their sickness, but the visits only drained their few resources and pushed them into poverty.

Still, Miron sought a solution. He asked GFA pastor Parley, who served in his sister’s village, to visit his home for prayer.

As Pastor Parley shared from God’s Word, light began to pierce the darkness of Miron’s life. As Pastor Parley prayed, the clutches of sickness loosened. Pastor Parley continued to visit Miron and his family and pray for them, and over time, they recovered from their sicknesses. The entire family embraced Christ’s light and love in their lives. They also welcomed Pastor Parley to lead a prayer meeting in their home every week.

But a potent need remained. Seeing the dirty water the family drank, Pastor Parley was burdened by their need for clean water. They needed a Jesus Well.

Well Springs Joy, Change

Jesus Wells bring joy to entire communities.

In awe of the well’s installation, Miron’s faith increased, and he joyfully shared the news of this miracle with his neighbours. Joy spread with the news as 75 families who had previously struggled for water gained access to an ample supply of clean water.

The prayer meeting led by Pastor Parley grew, and so did the number of miracles as people were healed from various ailments. The Jesus Well became a resource for the community that drew many to also drink of the Living Water, transforming lives.

Thanks to donors like you, Jesus Wells are transforming lives as they provide life-giving water and point to the Living Water of Christ.

The inauguration of a Jesus Well often fills people with joy and gratitude as they receive the gift of clean water—and with it, health and hope.

For Mai and the other children of her community, daily life carried risks. One of the biggest risks was getting sick with typhoid, diarrhea, malaria or another waterborne disease. And it was a risk these children couldn’t avoid: Their only water sources were open wells, ponds and rivers, which were contaminated by cow dung, leaves and trash. In the summer, these sources dried up.

GFA pastor Raffe saw the residents’ hardships, and he and other Christians in the village began to pray for a well that would supply clean water. The next year, ministry leaders approved Pastor Raffe’s application for a Jesus Well. When the villagers heard they would receive a new well—one that could yield pure water for years to come—excitement buzzed around the village.

Fresh Water, Fresh Opportunity

After the well was drilled, families began using it daily. They finally had clean water for drinking, washing produce and watering their cattle.

“For a long period of time, ... we were facing shortage of clean drinking water,” says Mai, who was about 13 years old when the Jesus Well was installed. “But at the right time, [the church] got a Jesus Well installed for us to have enough pure water for our needs.”

With the clean water, the families’ health improved. They saved money that earlier would have been spent on medical treatment. Things looked brighter for the next generation. They now had the chance to enjoy freedom from the cycle of sickness and poverty that had shackled their parents. They could dream and plan for better lives as waterborne illnesses no longer drained their energy and resources, giving them more time to be productive.

Gratitude filled the villagers’ hearts, and some wanted to know about the One whose name was inscribed on the well. Mai and her family were among them. They began to visit the local church, where they could learn more about Jesus, who offers Living Water. Eventually, Mai and her parents decided to follow Him.

Through the gift of a Jesus Well, Mai and her village not only have hope for better lives, but some have also found the living, steadfast hope Christ offers.

Many people in Asia, like this woman, must use unsafe water from ponds or old wells, like those in Pastor Jabez’s village.

People in Pastor Jabez’s village were finding the life-changing love of Christ, and the congregation was growing. Along with their newfound joy, however, a new struggle arose—a struggle to provide for their basic needs.

No Water for Christians

Seven wells dotted the rural village landscape, but the water in these wells was not fit for drinking. During the rainy season, that water was even worse: muddy and filled with dangerous bacteria. As the villagers drank the contaminated liquid, diseases such as typhoid and malaria caused much suffering.

On top of it all, the believers’ troubles had only just begun. The other villagers announced that Christians weren’t allowed to draw water from the wells. The reason? Their faith. The other villagers despised Christianity and decided to make the believers’ lives more difficult. The believers then had to walk more than a mile to collect water from a nearby river.

For more than two years, Pastor Jabez and his congregation gathered weekly to pray for a Jesus Well to be installed in their village. Then, through the generosity of God’s people, their prayers were answered.

All May Come

Their new Jesus Well provided cleaner water than any of the other wells and Pastor Jabez’s congregation did not bar anyone from drawing water. Everyone—even those who had despised them—were free to come and draw pure, fresh water. The other villagers changed their minds about Christianity when the believers welcomed them to the well with open arms.

Jesus Wells like the one installed in Pastor Jabez’s village improve the health of entire communities and enable them to hear of God’s love. The life-giving water provided through Jesus Well’s offers to meet both spiritual and physical needs. Thank you for helping make stories like these possible!

In Maala’s community, fetching each day’s water from a distant well was a labourious task that involved adults and children alike, making it difficult for children to attend school.

Maala trotted along beside her mother. The sun warmed her face and back, subtly reminding her of the heat to come in the afternoon.

After 30 minutes of walking, Maala presented the small jug she had been carrying and watched her mother pour water into it. Then she grasped her container tightly in her small hands and began the long walk back home, taking care to not slosh out any of the precious water.

At only 3 years old, Maala was already helping her family survive. Her village’s water crisis meant that long walks for water would burden her for the next 13 years.

Choosing Between Water and Education

The families in Maala’s community lived in a rocky, hilly location with few streams or large bodies of water. They couldn’t finance drilling a well deep enough to provide water year-round, so they had to make long trips to a distant well—often three or four times each morning and evening. Maala and the other children in her village regularly helped their mothers fetch water, carrying heavy pots back and forth.

“I used to feel very tired and very exhausted when I got home,” Maala recalls, now in her teens. “But then there was no other option.”

When Maala reached school age, she often struggled to fetch water in time to catch her bus, which meant she missed the entire day of school. But the severity of the water crisis in Maala’s village required families to prioritize fetching water over receiving education—even though education was the best chance for their children to escape poverty.

“Many times, I missed important lessons in the class, which affected my studies,” Maala explains. “During the exam, I would find it difficult because I [had not been] able to attend those classes.”

Working Together to Alleviate Water Crisis

GFA-supported pastor Bharit grew up in this area and later served as a pastor over believers in nearby villages. He witnessed the bickering at the distant water source, the frustration people felt spending so much time gathering water when they had children and crops to care for, the children missing precious school days, and the barren fields when crops dried up.

Bharit told his leaders how the community desperately needed clean water and asked them to install a Jesus Well. The generosity of believers around the world meant Pastor Bharit’s request could be granted, and he began searching for a good location to drill the well.

A believer in Pastor Bharit’s congregation noticed a plot of land that stood close to a main roadway. The landowner, Ojayit, happily volunteered his land for the project.

“I feel very glad and very happy that at least by donating a small piece of land I was able to become a help to villagers,” Ojayit shares. “By letting this piece of land be used for a Jesus Well, actually I’m doing a service to the society.”

Soon, a brand-new Jesus Well started gushing clean drinking water within the village, eliminating the long walk to the old water source.

In Maala’s community, fetching each day’s water from a distant well was a labourious task that involved adults and children alike, making it difficult for children to attend school.

Jesus Well Changes Futures

Maala was 16 when the Jesus Well appeared on the scene, and her life changed dramatically—as it did for all the children. The new well sat just a few minutes away, so she easily gathered water in time to catch her school bus.

“I don’t have any of the struggles I used to have,” Maala reports happily. “I’m not absent in my classes. … [The Jesus Well] has been such a great help for all the kids.”

Because everyone did what they could to help—Pastor Bharit, Ojayit and those who funded the well—the children in Maala’s village don’t need to choose between education or water anymore, and their childhoods don’t need to be spent commuting for water.

Even local vendors hired to drill a Jesus Well can be encouraged by the words of Jesus on the plaque they install.

Tanul’s hands wielded his tools with a strength and grace that made it evident he knew his craft of masonry well. But for as much skill as he had, he couldn’t understand the meaning of the words on the plaque he was fixing.

His eyes strayed to them often as he worked, the words running over in his mind.

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,” it read.

That made sense—he was working on a well, after all. The rest of the verse, however, was not so simple to understand:

“But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

This was the second Jesus Well that Tanul had worked on, a job given to him by local GFA-supported worker Divit. He and Divit talked often. After their first encounter, Tanul had come to realize that Jesus was far more than just a good teacher—Jesus was something more.

But it wasn’t until Tanul had time to ponder this Scripture that God washed his heart clean. Tanul wasn’t the only one working at the new well that day—God did His work, too, and a spring of water welled up within Tanul’s own heart, just as the plaque said.

Before Jesus Wells are drilled, people in many communities gather water from ponds and rivers because they have no access to a clean, safe water source. For Christians in Muralee’s village, their water sources were barred to them because of their faith in Christ—until a Jesus Well was drilled in their community.

It was April, and 200 people had gathered for what should have been a joyous celebration. The bride and bridegroom were dressed in their best, ready to start their new life together.

But there was a problem.

These men and women were Christians, and their pastor’s life had been threatened for wanting to worship Jesus with others.

Hostility and ostracism became pervasive, and on the day of the wedding, when the believers went to get water for the ceremony, they couldn’t. The other villagers had decided to ban the Christians from the village’s wells, though the wells were unreliable to begin with. But water was needed, and they had no other resource to fulfill this last-minute need.

Pastors Pray for Favour

GFA-supported pastor Bhuman and other GFA-supported pastors and believers attending the wedding gathered in the marriage house to ask God for help.

Fifteen minutes passed when Muralee, a man who lived in the village, heard about what was going on.

“Don’t worry,” he said, “I will supply water for you from my personal well for this entire program.”

With Muralee’s water well, the wedding went on, but the incident only highlighted a greater issue of water scarcity in the village. Pastor Bhuman began asking the Lord to provide a Jesus Well—a prayer he continued for three months.

What Water Can Do

Before the Jesus Well was drilled, many people in Muralee’s village gathered their water from ponds and rivers. During monsoon season, they collected rainwater from their roofs and stored it. This water would carry them through the inevitable dry season when ponds, rivers and wells frequently went dry, a situation that had only worsened through the previous five years.

But the Jesus Well solved their water problems! Within a week of the drilling, people who had been upset at the wedding came to understand more of Christ’s generous, loving heart. When they fell ill or struggled, they started asking Pastor Bhuman to pray for them, and God moved.

That’s how Pastor Bhuman and the believers learned about the plight of a man named Digambar.

Able to Walk Again

Digambar had started limping one day while walking home from his relatives’ house. His limp gradually grew in severity until he couldn’t even walk.

Pastor Bhuman and several believers went to Digambar’s house to pray for the paralyzed man. Their visits and prayers continued for nearly a month. And God answered! Digambar can walk again, and he doesn’t even need the help of a cane to do so. Experiencing this miracle, Digambar and his family have decided to walk with the One who enabled him to walk again.

We praise God for how He moved in so many lives through this Jesus Well and the faithful service of Pastor Bhuman. What started as an interrupted wedding led to the restoration of many hearts. Thank you for your part in making stories like this possible through your prayers and support!

This Jesus Well is sporting a bright red ribbon because this photo was taken during its inauguration ceremony. Through the generosity and support of GFA friends, GFA-supported pastor Dayal could see a Jesus Well installed, providing clean, free, accessible water to the needy villagers.

Only one source of water for a community of 100-plus people simply wasn’t enough. GFA-supported pastor Dayal and his fellowship of 10 believers felt the lack. Families would often wait hours for one bucket of water. One bucket to drink from, bathe in, clean and cook with. It was not uncommon for Pastor Dayal to see fights among his neighbours. The water crisis kept the village under turmoil—there was no peace in his village.

From his desire to display the love of Christ and meet the needs of the people around him, Pastor Dayal initiated the installation of a Jesus Well in the village. Thanks to the generosity of GFA friends like you, the striving in this community was replaced with peace after the Jesus Well construction was completed. Now anyone can come and go freely to obtain water, without having to worry about competition or there not being enough to drink. Experiencing this act of compassion, villagers are curious to hear from Pastor Dayal about how Jesus has moved in his life and how they can know Jesus, too. Thank you!

The words of Psalm 91 encouraged the believers in GFA-supported Pastor Barasaat’s congregation through many years of hardship. God provides His children, like the GFA-supported pastor shown, with His words to encourage and uplift believers every day.

Tilak and his wife were happy again; no one could deny that. But some people in the village were anything but happy about the transformation in their lives.

Villagers blamed the GFA-supported pastor for the couple’s new life in Christ. They wanted to attack Barasaat, so they began looking for an opportunity to do so.

That came one night as the pastor gathered with 20 youth to worship Jesus.

Silent Before His Accusers

The sound of voices lifted to Jesus was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a crowd of angry men. Ten villagers rushed on Pastor Barasaat and grabbed him by the neck. They began to beat him and dragged him to an impromptu village meeting.

Two hundred angry villagers pressed in on the pastor. They hurled accusations at him. They questioned him. They harassed him. But Pastor Barasaat did not respond. He remembered how Jesus had stood silent before His accusers, and he chose to walk in his Master’s footsteps.

Two hours passed as Pastor Barasaat stood silent before the mob, while the 20 youth he had been worshipping with prayed earnestly for the pastor’s protection.

And God answered.

The crowd couldn’t decide what to do with him. One by one, they grew frustrated and left the scene. God delivered Pastor Barasaat that night, but this was only the beginning of the pastor’s troubles.

Five Years Without Water

Pastor Barasaat continued to meet with men and women in the village who knew Jesus or were eager to learn more about Him. But about a month after the impromptu meeting, several villagers decided to ban his family from the village well, forcing them to gather water from the local river.

But Pastor Barasaat and his family weren’t the only ones drinking this polluted water—the village well didn’t provide enough for everyone, and some people even got sick with jaundice, malaria or dysentery because of the water they drank.

As time passed, things grew more difficult: It was decreed that anyone caught talking to Pastor Barasaat would have to pay an exorbitant fine. People even damaged his home.

Love in the Face of Hatred

It was difficult for Pastor Barasaat and his wife not to feel discouraged through these years. But God gave them strength, and they remembered how anyone who follows Jesus will face troubles in this life. Despite the struggles they faced, Pastor Barasaat and his family continued gathering with other believers for prayer and praise. As a body, they found great comfort in the words of Psalm 91.

And then God showed Pastor Barasaat a way he could “bless those who persecute you,” as God instructs us to do in Romans 12:14. Pastor Barasaat applied for a Jesus Well to be drilled in his village, which was made possible through the generous donations of GFA friends. Within a few months, a new well poured out pure water for all to use.

Fresh Water, Fresh Start

Pastor Barasaat continued to love on the people in his village as he had done for the last 13 years, praying for the sick and ministering to those in need, but now things were different. Even those who had once been angry with him went to him for prayer when their families were sick.

The words of Psalm 91 encouraged the believers in GFA-supported Pastor Barasaat’s congregation through many years of hardship. God provides His children, like the GFA-supported pastor shown, with His words to encourage and uplift believers every day.

A 22-year-old man named Dinpal, whose father had died of a waterborne illness, was particularly touched by the new well. The tangible expression of God’s love inspired Dinpal’s heart to know Jesus, so he talked to Pastor Barasaat. Now Dinpal can hardly keep Christ’s love to himself—he joyfully goes around telling others of the God who provides.

Truly, God heard the prayers of His servants and touched the hearts of the people in this village. Praise the Lord!

Every Jesus Well has a story. These women, both leprosy patients, now have an abundant source of clean water in their village because of the generosity of believers like you around the world.

Jesus Wells have the ability to transform villages, providing not only clean, fresh water but also the opportunity for people to find clean hearts and a fresh start at life in Jesus.

Every Jesus Well has a different story. With thousands of Jesus Wells blessing communities in Asia already, it’s difficult to share all the stories with you! Here you will find a small selection of stories we’ve received about Jesus Wells and what God is doing through them. We hope they bless you and remind you how being part of the GFA world through your life and partnership is making a tremendous difference!

Jesus Well Brings Villagers Back

Although the vast majority of Jesus Wells are drilled deep into the ground—some as deep as 1,200 feet—occasionally the location of a village and its unique situation requires a different approach for providing clean water.

That was the case in Muna’s mountain village, where villagers needed to walk two miles over steep hills and through valleys to gather water for their daily needs.

But today, around two miles of pipes connect that water source to the village’s Jesus Well, which for this region took the form of a cement water tank. Now this village has a local water source!

Muna is incredibly thankful for the Jesus Well and the transformation it has brought to his community. Several families who had left because it was too difficult to find water have now returned. Muna shares how the Jesus Well and the church building that was constructed nearby have united the people in his village and brought them all joy.

Dispensing Liquid Love

Pastor Ranadeva loved the people in his village and wanted them to know it. The people regularly heard about the greatest love of all—Jesus—but not everyone wanted to hear. Still, the pastor loved them as well as he could, and one day he was able to show them practically by drilling a Jesus Well to meet their need for clean water.

Datta, an elderly man in the village, had never been very interested in Pastor Ranadeva. But one day, after the Jesus Well was installed, he welcomed Pastor Ranadeva into his home. Datta listened from the Word of God and took some literature to read, and later he attended prayer meetings in the village, where God touched his heart.

Today, Datta and his family continue to draw water from the Jesus Well located less than half a mile from their home.

No Longer Waiting in Line

Poorva, a 50-year-old widow and mother of four sons, didn’t like having to wait in line at the only water pump in town. But until a GFA-supported pastor named Manit arranged for the installation of a new Jesus Well, Poorva had no other options.

After the well was installed, Poorva couldn’t hold back her gratitude. She thanked Pastor Manit profusely—she would have more time to do things around her home instead of standing in line, she shared. As they talked, she decided to attend Pastor Manit’s church, where she and her eldest son soon fell in love with Christ—the One who saved their time and changed their lives forever.

Eleven Jesus Wells

In a village of 15,000, one hand pump just wasn’t enough. Nevertheless, that’s all the people in Layak’s village had. As the leader of the village, Layak wanted to provide for his people, but he didn’t have the resources to do so. That’s why it filled him with such inexpressible joy when a local GFA-supported pastor inquired about installing Jesus Wells.

Within a few months, the dedication ceremony was held for 11 Jesus Wells, and hundreds gathered to witness, including several local officials. Many people expressed their astonishment that Christians would love them so much and follow through with providing for their needs.

“This is something very different that I am seeing today in my life,” shared one elderly man.

Layak, moved with happiness, made a bold decision: “I will donate a piece of land in the village for a church to be constructed as well,” he declared after the ceremony. “I want to see a church in my village.”

Even when no one wants to listen to them, pastors like Kundan are eager to help their communities with their daily problems, such as the lack of clean water. This well, like the one in Pastor Kundan’s village, is a testimony of Jesus’ care for the poor and needy.

When Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Kundan and his family first came to Antim’s village, Antim, like everyone else, wasn’t interested in what he had to say.

But Pastor Kundan didn’t just talk about Jesus’ love—he lived it out. Just as Jesus reached out with hands of compassion toward the hurting and destitute, even feeding thousands of people, Pastor Kundan wanted to help the people in Antim’s village. One day, he saw an opportunity.

A Jesus Well Meets Their Need

Many people in Antim’s village struggled to get adequate, clean water for drinking and cooking. When Pastor Kundan saw this need, he contacted his leaders about installing a Jesus Well. Before long, thanks to the donations of friends of Gospel for Asia, they were able to drill one.

This Jesus Well piqued Antim’s interest, and he realized there was more to this visiting pastor than just words.

One day, Antim struck up a conversation with Pastor Kundan and began asking him questions—questions Pastor Kundan could answer. As their friendship grew, Pastor Kundan shared with him from the Word of God and encouraged him to pray. Although Antim had heard the name of Jesus before, he didn’t know the Saviour’s love and had never met someone so passionately in love with Jesus before.

A Growing Love

Over time, not only did Antim open up his heart to the love of the Saviour, he also opened up his home to hear Pastor Kundan share from the Word of God. More people joined Antim and Pastor Kundan to spend time with Jesus, eventually growing in number to a point where they began praying about building a permanent church building in which to worship God. Praise the Lord!

“In the beginning of my ministry,” Pastor Kundan reflects, “I thought I would not be able to work in this place. … But today I am very much thankful to God, who used my life to start His ministry here. … It is not because of me or anyone, but it is all because of [the] infinite love of Jesus Christ.”

Thank you for your prayers and support to see more people understand the infinite love of Christ.