As the cofounder and director of finance for Healing Waters International, Dana (Passons) Larson (87) does work that saves lives. Healing Waters brings self-sustaining water purification systems to churches in developing countries. The systems give people living in poverty access to clean, uncontaminated water. They also give local churches a means of reaching out to their communities, of bringing social and spiritual healing along with physical health. With all Healing Waters is accomplishing, it is interesting to note that the organization was born out of what Dana and her husband, Tom, originally viewed as a failed missionary experience.
In 1997, Dana left her job at J.D. Edwards to go on a year-long mission trip to La Victoria, Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, not only was the poverty overwhelming, but Dana, a self-proclaimed “planner and list maker,” felt frustrated by the lack of cooperation from the local church. But two years later, she and Tom installed a water purification system a friend donated to the church in La Victoria. Not long after, other churches in the Dominican Republic contacted them, asking if they had any more systems available. By February 2002, Healing Waters International was officially incorporated. Today, it serves churches in Guatemala, Mexico and Kenya, as well as the Dominican Republic.
Sometimes people are amazed that Tom and Dana would give up their lucrative careers to run Healing Waters. But the difference they are making – not just in people’s physical health conditions but in the relationships between the church and the local communities – are what’s most important to Dana.
“We are trying to empower the churches,” she explained. “The benefits are twofold. There is the opportunity to bring health and save lives, and there is also the opportunity to preach without using words. My favorite quote is, ‘Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words.’”
Dana is glad her alma mater has a similar vision. “I just want to say how pleased I am with seeing how involved Point Loma is around the world. Reaching out in practical ways, being the hands of Jesus – it’s the same concept of preaching without words,” she said.