It is easy to feel like there is nothing one can do from here, so far away. How can one person impact such overwhelming issues? For both Karen and I, the first response was to sponsor a child. Although we won't make a huge difference for Africa with just one child, we can make a huge difference for that one child! Child sponsorship is nothing new, certainly. And we were left feeling like perhaps there was more we could do. But what? As I thumbed thru the "Donor Catalog" that World Vision provides, my eyes were drawn to the "Traditional Well". For the cost of $5390, World Vision can establish a new well in a village that provides enough clean water for 150 people to bathe, clean, cook, drink, water livestock and irrigate their land. This is for people who would otherwise either have NO clean available water.
Hearing the stories of people who have to walk miles to draw water from infected, dirty waters (if any available at all), really puts things in perspective. To think of my own frustration when my daily shower (how many gallons do I use?) runs a little cold!
The struggle is, $5390 is still more than Karen and I can afford on our own. So, we've decided that what we can do, is draw attention to the need as well as the opportunity. We have established a website, www.firstgiving.com/water_of_life, to raise awareness and provide people an opportunity to donate. Our goal is to raise $5390 by the end of February 2009. If we fall short, the monies donated will still go toward "shares" of a well, but how great would it be to say that together as friends & family, we were able to provide a well for an entire village?! Please don't feel obligated to contribute, but give it a look, pray about it, and see if this issue touches you the way it has touched us.
Of course, please feel free to pass along the website to encourage others to get involved!
2 comments:
Perhaps one of the things that has encouraged me to do this the most is the fact that people across our nation are donating their money for the sole purpose of advertising their candidate. A couple million $ are raised EVERY DAY for campaigns. As of next Tuesday, that money is gone. I gotta believe we can raise a couple thousand over the course of a couple months to save people's lives! What do you think?
Well said! I was going to go to one of those in my area, but couldn't since it was the same day as Missions conf that I was involved in. I sure will check it out and pass along too.
Each of our kis also support a child their age thru this wonderful organization. It is so exciting when we get updates and pen pal back and forth. We are such a spoiled society it is good for the kids to see the stark contrast.
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