Elder Peter F. Meurs, General Authority Seventy and Pacific Area presidency member, approached the government of Kiribati in September 2022 with one question on his mind, “What is the biggest issue facing your country?”
This outstretched hand started an ongoing water project in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to bring clean drinking water to 10 islands of the Kiribati nation. After three years, clean drinking water flows on five islands as of April 2025, reported the Church’s Pacific Newsroom.
Tonga also benefited from this water aid effort as the Church went above and beyond its call for collaboration.
Plans with Kiribati
After Elder Mears talked with Kiribati government officials, he was part of a meeting in Brisbane, Australia, and described the need of the Kiribati people, reported Pacific Newsroom. President Adam Smith, of the Gold Coast Australia Stake, had just returned from a water conference where a fellow engineer had a solution.
Drought and rising sea levels had contaminated Kiribati well water, resulting in six to eight children dying every week due to illnesses associated with contaminated water, according to the Church’s Pacific Newsroom. The country and Church agreed that 10 new solar-powered plants would be installed on the most adversely affected islands.
“This inspired project was developed by the Church and the Kiribati government in record time, which is a testament to the urgency of this need,” said Ruth M. Cross, a Church welfare and self-reliance manager in Kiribati.
The Church called Elder Jeff Brock and Sister Judy Brock as humanitarian missionaries to work with the Suez Group, a French-based utility and water management company.
“We went into this project full steam ahead,” Sister Brock recalled.
Many obstacles blocked the project‘s path. With many islands accessible only by boat, overloaded barges and supply deliveries stunted progress.
On one of these trips, the Brocks discovered the barge did not have enough fuel for the trip to the next island. Sister Brock posted on social media for help, and before the barge’s scheduled departure time, a 14-year-old boy showed up.
“A 14-year-old boy responded with fuel just hours before our early morning departure. He saved us,” Sister Brock reported.
On Aug. 11, 2024, the first desalination plant flowed on the island of Aranuka. Local islanders stepped up for training on how to manage the solar powered plant. After five months, Onotoa island ran their new plant in January, with the Beru island following suit the next month in February. This momentum extended to the next islands of Abatiku and Arorae, where two more plants opened in April.
The second phase includes five plants for the islands of Maiana, North Tarawa, Abaiang and the north and south ends of the island of Marakei, according to the Pacific Newsroom report.
With a temple on the way for the islands, the Church plans to double their agreed-upon number of desalination plants in Kiribati.
More nourished in nation of Tonga
This water aid initiative in the Pacific Islands extended to Tonga where the Fāhefa Water and Development Committee approached the Church for assistance in replacing a water pump in their village, according to the Pacific Newsroom. The Church agreed and went so far as to build a second water tank in addition to the new water pump in the village.
“Today seems like a day of liberation because we are being liberated from our years of problems with our water supply.” Lōpeti Senituli, a member of the Fāhefa Development Committee said. “We are thankful to the members of the Church for their assistance.”
