1980
A History of Reaching“One More Child”
Mack & Peggy McKeown founded Living Water International (LWI) in 1980. The ministry began in a difficult time during the Guatemalan Civil War. They began their work with opening dental and medical clinics in the rural, war-torn mountains of Guatemala and later began feeding children in 1983. As they asked others to partner with them by sponsoring children, Adopt-A-Child (AAC) was born. For seven years, Mack & Peggy led this growing ministry. Then, in 1990 Mack passed away and Peggy continued to lead Living Water Adopt-A-Child (LWAAC) for two more years. We are grateful for the solid foundation Mack & Peggy provided for this global ministry, now serving the poorest of the poor in both Guatemala and Albania.
A Path Towards Expansion
1990’s & 2000’s
In 1992, Ron and Pat Kelly were called to Guatemala as the new directors. Ron and Pat’s mission to reach one more child, one more village, one more country, led them to expand the ministry into Albania in 1995. Being one of the poorest, war torn nations in Europe as well as the only Muslim nation in Europe at that time, they faced great difficulty and persecution but saw much fruit and growth. With Ron Kelly’s passing in 2015, Pastor Buford Lipscomb became the International Director of LWAAC and continued the vision to reach one more child and one more village.
Inspiring Hope Around the World
Present Day
Today, International Director Steve McDaniel and his wife, Ana, lead our ministry on our mission to inspire hope by serving as the hands and feet of Jesus and caring for the “least of these” (Matthew 25). In Guatemala, over 8,000 children are fed at 10 weekly feeding programs, and eight churches are now scattered throughout the region preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Three youth centers and three medical and dental clinics are also a part of the Guatemala ministry. In Albania, over 1,000 children are being fed at eight feeding programs and there are now three churches in this predominantly Muslim nation.