RipplAffect and It Is Written joined together in Ibagué to bring clean water, health outreach, ministry, and lasting hope to families across Colombia.
Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia | August 5–16, 2026
💧 Clean Water. Better Health. Practical Service. Living Hope.
In August 2026, RipplAffect was blessed to partner with It Is Written and the Southern Colombia Conference for a powerful mission initiative in Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia.
What began with a goal of bringing sustainable access to clean, safe drinking water became an even broader opportunity to serve communities through water filtration, health outreach, education, prayer, ministry, and long-term relationship building.
A four-member RipplAffect team from the Dayton, Ohio area joined the larger It Is Written mission team in Colombia. Together with local partners, healthcare professionals, church leaders, and volunteers, the team served families during a five-day health expo and related evangelistic outreach.
💧 Clean Water That Continues Giving
Approximately 700 Sawyer water filtration systems were distributed during the Ibagué portion of the mission.
Each filtration system provides families with a practical and sustainable way to improve the safety of their drinking water, helping protect children and adults from illnesses associated with contaminated water.
But RipplAffect’s model goes far beyond simply handing out a filter.
Local partners were trained in the proper use, cleaning, and maintenance of the filtration systems so they could continue visiting participating families after the initial distribution.
These follow-up visits are an important part of every RipplAffect initiative. They help ensure that families are using their filters correctly while also giving trusted local ministry teams an opportunity to continue building relationships, provide encouragement, pray with families, and support communities long after the international mission team has returned home.
❤️ A water filter can meet an immediate physical need while opening the door to relationships that can create lasting change.
🗺️ See Where the Colombia Initiative Took Place
Explore the location of the RipplAffect Colombia Initiative in Ibagué, Tolima, and the communities reached through this collaborative mission:
https://ripplaffect.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/fa053e8c1c204f6ebf9487fa9ed9a6a1#
Click the link above to explore the Colombia Initiative location and project area on the interactive map.
🏥 Clean Water Reaches a Local Hospital
An unexpected circumstance during the mission created another special opportunity to serve.
When one of the physicians traveling with the mission team required overnight observation at a local hospital, the experience opened a door to extend the clean-water ministry directly into the healthcare community.
Approximately 70 water filters were shared with patients as well as medical and administrative staff.
What began as an unexpected challenge became another opportunity to serve, encourage, and share both practical help and hope.
❤️ More Than Water
Throughout the mission, clean-water outreach was intentionally connected with broader community service.
The team participated in a five-day health expo, worked alongside local healthcare professionals and church leaders, trained pastors and Bible workers, ministered to families, and helped strengthen a local network that can continue supporting beneficiaries after the project.
Pastor Jesus Rodriguez, Executive Secretary of the Southern Colombia Conference, showed particular enthusiasm for the water filtration project and helped introduce its potential impact to government officials.
Following the mission, he has continued supporting the coordination of surveys and beneficiary follow-ups—helping ensure that the work begun during the mission continues producing measurable and lasting impact.
Colombia IIW Mission Trip 2026 Report
By Dr. Shelley Perez
RipplAffect Board Chair & Colombia Water Team Leader
We had a very successful mission trip to Colombia. We had a team of four individuals representing RipplAffect from the Dayton area, Kirk Chung, Wendy Guzman, Stephaniem Gomez and myself. On August 5th, we met up with the It Is Written team, in Bogota, Colombia. The next morning our team of 35 volunteers hopped on a bus and drove five hours south to our final destination of Ibague where the Southern Colombian SDA Conference and IIW planned a free health expo and evangelistic meetings.
Upon arriving to Ibague we were told there was a problem with the buckets and that they would not be arriving till Tuesday. Paise God for his providence, the buckets were at the church the next morning! This allowed the team to assemble the water filters and to drill, prep and label buckets in preparation for distribution that Sunday, which was the first day of the health expo.
Despite some health challenges we were able to participate in the 5 day health expo and distribute around 700 water filters. We identified associate pastors and bible workers from each location and trained them on the use and maintenance of the water filters and set them up to conduct the follow ups as part of the evangelistic efforts in their community.
Pastor Jesus Rodriguez, who is the Executive Secretary of the Southern Colombian Conference, took particular interest in the water filters and excitedly shared it with government officials. We have been in contact with him after the trip and he has been very supportive in coordinating and overseeing surveys and follow -ups.
One of the doctors on the trip spent the night in observation at a local hospital in Ibague. Luckily he was fine and was discharged the next day, but that provided us an opportunity to share 70 water filters along with a copy of Steps to Christ to patients, medical and administrative staff in the hospital.
Colombian Union was planing to send remaining filters to Cali and the surrounding area, which was greatly impacted by the 7.4 earthquake that occurred on August 10 2026 which we expirianced as epicenter was only 80 miles from our location God blessed and protected us and it was a very successful trip! The water filters were very well received and greatly needed as the majority of the country has non potable water.”
🌎 Extending the Impact Beyond Ibagué
The original Colombia Initiative – 1,000 water filtration systems.
Following the distribution in Ibagué, the remaining filters were planned for deployment through our partners to Cali and surrounding communities, allowing the impact of this initiative to continue reaching families facing urgent water needs after 7.4 earthquake.
The strength of this initiative lies not only in the number of filters distributed, but also in the partnerships established on the ground.
By working through local partners, RipplAffect helps create a structure for education, follow-up, accountability, relationship building, and lasting community impact.
🙏 Faith in Action
At RipplAffect, we believe that sharing God’s love often begins by meeting the practical needs directly in front of us.
- A mother who can provide safer drinking water for her children.
- A family that no longer has to depend entirely on questionable water sources.
- A pastor returning to a home to make sure a filtration system is working properly.
- A healthcare worker receiving a filter while serving others.
- A conversation. A prayer. A relationship.
These individual moments create ripples that can continue long after a mission trip ends.
Clean water becomes a tangible expression of care—and an opportunity to share the hope and love of Christ through service.
📸 Colombia Initiative 2026 — See the Mission in Action
Follow the journey from filter preparation and training to health outreach, distribution, ministry, and the families whose lives were touched through the Colombia Initiative.
(VIDEO COMING SOON!)
✈️ Join RipplAffect on an Upcoming Mission
We warmly invite you to consider becoming part of an upcoming RipplAffect Water Mission Team.
Dominican Republic – End of November 2026
Join RipplAffect as we return to the Dominican Republic to serve communities through clean-water outreach and ministry.
Sierra Leone – Beginning January 10, 2027
Help bring sustainable access to clean, safe drinking water to families and communities in Sierra Leone.
Malawi – Beginning April 1, 2027
Be part of RipplAffect’s expanding work in Africa as we bring water filtration systems, training, community outreach, and hope to families in Malawi.
💧 You do not need to be a medical professional or water expert to make a difference. You simply need a heart willing to serve.
❤️ Come Create the Next Ripple With Us
Every RipplAffect initiative begins with people who choose to act. Some give. Some go. Some pray. Some help us share the story.
Together, those acts of generosity and service become a ripple that can change an entire family—and eventually an entire community.
If you are interested in joining one of our upcoming mission trips or would like more information, please contact: info@ripplaffect.org
💧 Clean Water Saves Lives.
❤️ Together, we can bring health, hope, and the love of Christ to communities around the world.
DONATE NOW
RipplAffect is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian organization which has provided immediate and long-term access to safe and clean water to more than 100,000 people worldwide. 100% of your tax deductible donations will be applied to water filter distribution projects.
Since May 2021 you are able to see all the water filter distributions on our Sponsorship Map. Thank you for your continued support!