World Water Day

Yesterday was world water day.

I am fortunate to work with a guy who spent the majority of his childhood growing up in Peru. We talk a lot about what it is like to live in a poverty-stricken country, and what it is like to transition to America (i can only sort-of relate, obviously). We have these talks between 5-5:30am, usually, after we get done setting up the store for business before we get a steady stream of customers. My favorite part of the morning - getting to know my co-workers. Anyways... Friday, we were talking about water. He was remembering doing laundry by hand and bathing in buckets. Of course i have no memories such as these from our year in Kenya outside of filtering our water and boiling water from dishes. Yet, I do remember that rain was always on the list for prayer requests at our village church. I remember Francis used to gather water in the river and carry buckets of it back and forth every day on his bike for the orphanage (until my in-laws purchased a rain collecting system for them!).

Though we were very fortunate, because we lived in the upper elevations where there was always water in our local stream. I remember reading about tribes that wer further in "the bush" of Kenya who battled each other for puddles to water their livestock. Children were raped and murdered over water.

Water is essential. For food, for health. For life.


Landon and i really enjoy supporting this organization that works with the water crisis (as well as the AIDS crisis) in Africa. We especially enjoy it because they do a lot of work in Kenya, and they are a small enough organization that we get hand-written notes of thanks and actual pictures of the villagers around the well that we helped build. A little money goes such a long way. That organization is blood:water mission. They build wells in the name of Christ in Africa. I am so grateful that Landon and I can play a small part in what they are doing in the lives of numerous communities in Africa.

Another organization that I've heard a lot about (thanks Emily) that gives water is charity:water. Here is a quick video of theirs to inspire you!


Maybe think about celebrating World Water Day by giving to one of these organizations!