Turning Soap Into Clean Water

Cheri Harris - Windy River Soap
Handmade “white chocolate” soap, created and sold by woman in Washington state who gives 10% of her proceeds to ministry.

With the world facing a clean water crisis, technology companies, governments and NGOs are working to find ways to provide clean water for people in a place where clean water is either in short supply or non-existent. The United Nations even sponsors a World Water Day.

While cutting-edge technology is trying exotic methods to capture water from previously untapped sources, a woman in the state of Washington has found a simple way to turn soap into clean water.

Gospel for Asia Supporter Sells Handmade Soap

Cheri Harris, owner of Windy River Soap in Washington state.

Cheri Harris owns Windy River Soap in Goldendale, Washington, near the northern banks of the Columbia River Gorge about 50 miles southeast of Mount St. Helens and within the shadow of Mt. Rainier. Mrs. Harris carefully handcrafts her soaps and sells them locally and via her website across the entire country. She describes the products of Windy River Soap, which contain no added colors, scents or preservatives, as “Luxury soap for every day.”

The menu bar on the Windy River Soap website looks like many other websites, except that one of the menu options is “Ministry.” You see, making soap and a living are not the only reasons that Windy River Soap exists.

Cheri turns her soap making into ministry by giving 10 percent of the profits to provide BioSand water filters through Gospel for Asia. The ministry section of her website includes two videos that demonstrate the need and effectiveness of the filters, as well as the gratitude of those who experience the benefits.

But Cheri doesn’t stop with giving. Her website encourages people to “learn what God is doing through Gospel for Asia,” and suggests “dozens of ways YOU can make a difference today and for eternity.”

Making a Difference for Those Without Clean Water

Cheri proves us wrong if we think there is nothing we can do to help “the least of these” who have no access to clean water.

“My life was completely transformed when I read Revolution in World Missions,” Cheri said.

After reading Dr. KP Yohannan’s book, she became an avid supporter of Gospel for Asia and has been for many years.

Cheri selling soap at a farmer’s market in 2013.

Windy River Soap was founded in 2013. Prior to that Cheri had been purchasing specialty soaps that would be healthy for her sensitive skin from a company in Seattle. After that company went out of business, her first option was to find another specialty soap company, but she knew that would take some trial and error because she couldn’t be certain that the soaps would not irritate her skin.

Then, in what she called “a God moment,” she thought that she might be able to make the soaps herself. After hours of intensive study, her confidence began to grow. She researched sources for soap materials and precise recipes for creating the soaps. She soon discovered that she had a knack for soap making. Not only does she get excited talking about her soap making, it only takes a few minutes to realize that she is an expert in soap-making science. It takes even less time to understand that she loves the Lord and truly regards her soap making as a ministry.

“It’s a blessing and privilege to participate in this ministry. I look forward to meeting brothers and sisters in Heaven who … received a water filter from GFA.” —Cheri

Cheri making soap at home in her kitchen.

She explained that, “The Lord Jesus commanded, ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.’ The Bible also says in James that it’s useless to try to meet a person’s spiritual need while leaving a great physical need unmet.”

She added that “Gospel for Asia demonstrates Jesus’ love by meeting both physical and spiritual needs. Clean water brings life and healing. Many have become disciples of Jesus through the gift of clean water. It’s a blessing and privilege to participate in this ministry. I look forward to meeting brothers and sisters in Heaven who … received a water filter from GFA.”

Learn more about how Gospel for Asia is transforming communities through God’s love by providing BioSand water filters that literally change the lives of families who need clean, clear water. While you are at it, visit Cheri Harris’ Windy River Soap website. As Cheri says, “When you purchase Windy River Soap, we partner together to meet a poverty-stricken family’s most basic physical and spiritual needs.”

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