It is appropriate that today, March 22nd, is both World Water Day and my brother’s birthday. My brother, who has been one of the most influential people in my life, a true catalyst for change, an example of generosity, who has helped me see God’s heart for the poor, orphan, widow, enslaved, marginalized. So grateful to God for him. Happy 35th birthday, Kris!
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Now, imagine waking up this morning without water. None. No water from the taps. None in the toilet. None in the shower. None in the washing machine or dishwasher. None in the sink. None in the fridge. No ice in the freezer. No water.
What would I drink? How would I wash dishes, clothes, myself? How would I brush my teeth, flush the toilet, get clean? How would I cook? You’d quickly begin to panic, yes? Even writing that paragraph made me feel thirsty. You’d quickly become consumed with finding water. Your thoughts would be filled, and you’d immediately rearrange your entire day around the sole purpose of finding water.
But what if you had no car? And no store in which to buy water? For me, that would mean walking three miles down to the Willamette River. Most people I know won’t even swim in the Willamette much less drink its water–it’s filthy. But supposing I did successfully get myself down to the river, carrying just five measly gallons of water back home the three miles straight up Hidden Springs hill would be virtually impossible. Just 5 gallons of water weighs almost 42 lbs. Now, that 5 gallons is the average usage for Africans each day. ( The average American family of four uses 400 gallons of drinking water a day.) That little trip right there that I just described would take all day, leave me exhausted, and would need to happen every single day. Not to mention my children. There’s no way they could hike those 6 miles. I’d have to leave them at home without supervision, every single day.
That’s all just for 5 gallons of virtually undrinkable water.
My point? We wouldn’t survive without clean water.
This is the reality for 1.2 billion people in our world today. As many as 5 million people die every year of water-related illnesses. A child dies every fifteen seconds of a waterborne disease. It’s a no-win situation. Children either die for lack of water or die because the water they have isn’t clean. The problem feeds every other problem. Women and children cannot work because they have to spend all day fetching water. In developing countries women and children invest two hundred million hours a day to fetching water. That’s equal to a full-time workforce of twenty-five million people fetching water eight hours a day, seven days a week. Children can’t go to school. Without water humans cannot work, cannot learn, cannot function. Without water we can’t even think.
And yet it’s one of the easiest ways we can help.
Will you join me?
1. Try going without water today.
Now, I say try because I will bet it’s virtually impossible for most of us. With two small children in the house I couldn’t walk the 6 miles down and up Hidden Springs hill, and I can’t leave them home alone. So, I’m going to try going without water though, and just journal through the dilemmas and lessons learned. Perhaps you might try this today too?’ The goal isn’t to “make it” through the day, the goal is simply to identify–in a teensy, tiny way–with the 1.2 billion people who live this way each day.
*Note: At 5:23am I’m already amazed at how hard this is! I woke up SO thirsty, couldn’t drink. Couldn’t flush the toilet. Discovered I’d forgotten to run the dishwasher last night so no clean dishes. Can’t make oatmeal without water. Argh! I’m going to use one small pitcher of water for our daily needs and go from there. This is eye-opening!
*Also, even though it’s now later in the day, don’t worry about the going without water but please do #2 and contribute to the well and let us know! It’s not too late to join up!
2. Donate $25 toward a Jesus Well.
Here’s where it gets fun. For just $1,000 we could dig a Jesus well to bless those without clean water. Here’s how:
Jeff and I will start the well with $125. Then, for my brother’s 35th birthday I’d love for 35 of YOU precious readers to simply donate $25 toward a Jesus well. If just 35 of you would contribute we could dig a Jesus well. I can’t imagine a better gift for my brother’s birthday and for some precious people in need of water today. (Click here to donate and enter amount on the right-hand side)
Will you consider? (Watch video here on Jesus wells for more information)
3. Comment/Share
Finally, if you do contribute, please comment and let me know. At the end of the day I’ll randomly choose one commenter to receive a free copy of Half The Sky. Also, please share this with others so they can participate as well? Thank you!
{Thanks for reading, giving, praying. And happy 35th birthday, Kris!}
35 thoughts on “World Water Day {Will you dig a well with us today?}”
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VERY cool Kari! Thank you for bringing awareness, and helping tangibly in this HUGE need!!! A well in a community makes an INCREDIBLE difference!!!!
Much blessings and love to you!
Pam
Thank you, Pam! Love you so much!
I donated the $25 to the Jesus Well. Happy birthday to your brother, what an excellent idea!
Thank you, Elle!! What a blessing you are!
Thanks Kari, this is a wonderful idea! We go to church with Kris, he is such a great guy! Just donated $25 and praying for those without water. God Bless!
Danielle, BLESS YOU! Thanks so much for doing this; I’m jealous that you live closer to my brother than I do! 🙂 So glad he has such wonderful people around him. Thanks so much for participating today!
I AM SO THIRSTY JUST READING THIS. Unfortunately, I already made coffee, made oatmeal, drank a huge glass of water. “Without water humans cannot work, cannot learn, cannot function. Without water we can’t even think.” Wow.
I’ll definitely donate to the well, but I have to do it tomorrow (pay day). Thank you SO much for raising awareness of this issue.
Seriously, Caila — I know my thirst has tripled just because I know I can’t have it. I am actually drinking tea right now made from melted snow. 🙂 It’s a gift of grace that we have 4 inches of it today … but still so odd. Not sure what the bathroom will smell like at the end of the day. 🙂 Thank you for contributing! LOVE YOU!
Kari, my day was well on it’s way when I read your post. Will go without water from here on today, but took a luxurious shower and swallowed my vitamins with clear clean water this morning! It is heartbreaking to consider what so many endure, especially in the face of such plenty in my life. Thank you for this birthday gift to Kris and encouraging so many to piggyback on it. I donated $50. Blessings on your day.
Tears. Thank you Momma! Your generosity humbles me and blesses me so much. I am finding myself irritable and frustrated without water. Melting snow, putzing around thinking of all the things I cannot do. It’s a good and humbling reminder. THANK YOU for contributing. I love you so!
I donated $25 for a Jesus Well 🙂
Thank you, Amy!! Awesome. So thankful for your generosity and participation. May your thirst be quenched by Jesus!
Thank you for another opportunity where we can make a difference together 🙂 It’s easy to forget how blessed we are 🙁 Just got back from an exercise class where we became thirsty ON PURPOSE! Kent and I donated $50. Happy Birthday to your brother!
Thank you SO much Kent & Debbie! What a gift you two are. We love you. Yeah, I skipped exercise today, didn’t want to get too thirsty! 🙂 Much love.
Thanks to Dad & Mom Zyp who contributed $100 to the Jesus well. Love you guys!
Seifers donated $25. Happy B-Day Kris!
Thank you, beloved Seifers!
Kari, I first heard of you at a women’s conference you spoke at through my church in Bend, Oregon. You blessed me so much that day and your blog continues to do so. I am so thankful for your ministry. I wanted you to know that I’ve sent $25 to contribute to your brother’s Jesus Well. Please tell him I am wishing him a very happy birthday. 🙂
Oh wow, thank you so much, Heather! What a gift you are, thanks for blessing our family and participating today! Blessings…
Wouldn’t you know that $25 from our budget was just freed up this morning!! And, then I saw your blog today and thought “ahhh, that is why :)” such an honor to be able to give!
No way! Oh April that is awesome … thanks for sharing that little tidbit and THANK YOU for your willingness to surrender that money over to God. Praying He will bless you today!
Kari, God’s timing is awesome! I heard of these wells just earlier this week and the idea had been on my mind ever since. Clean drinking water, wow, do we take it for granted! The thought that really hit me was that the mother’s have to leave their children for the day just to get water and it’s not even clean at that. Then the mother’s have to give this water to their children to drink, knowing full well that it could make them sick. This makes my heart hurt! So, waking up to snow, lots of snow, our power was out. I wanted to fix breakfast, but couldn’t, the kids were thirsty and the chickens needed water too. Luckily, I remembered we had a gallon of drinking water in the pantry, that goodness! I would not have wanted to run to town in the snow for water, but thankful, that I could if I needed too.
So, yes, water has been on my mind. And us contributing to the Jesus well, it seems so small. Now, hopefully, water won’t have to be on the minds of those mother’s (at least maybe not quite as much!) I hope that you and Jeff meet your goal, we just contributed $75 to the Jesus well. Wishing Kris a Happy Birthday! Thanks for all you do Kari!
YAY!! Oh Melissa, thank you so much for sharing this, this blesses me SO much. Thanks for your generosity, you’re willingness to be inconvenienced. Love you so much!!
Hi Kari, I met you briefly in December through my friends Brendon and Naomi and have been reading your blog since. I donated $25 because clean, running water is a luxury that I’ve lived without and I love having now. Thanks for your post!
Hi Christina! Yes, I remember you from Community Group! It’s so great to hear from you again! Wow, thank you so much for participating in this; I so appreciate your generosity! What a crazy ride Brendon & Naomi are on, huh? Blessings on you! K
Wow Kari, most amazing present to someone you love. A gift that keeps on giving. Was inspired when I received my mail the other day about this well project and here then was a great opportunity to join in. Thanks for the opportunity. $25 DONE!! Love you bunches water girl 😉
Hi Kari! 😀
What wonderful timing! God has placed the water needs of the world on my heart lately as well. I am hosting a Zumbathon in Tacoma, WA at CenterPoint Christian Fellowship (cpcf.org) May 19, 2012 from 9-12a with the goal of raising $10,000 for wells in India for servethechildren.org.
May you be blessed greatly! 🙂
Sara
Thank you for posting this today. I have been feeling a little gloomy and bummed about some financial issues we are facing and then I read this. We all need a wake up call now and then : ) My “issues” are not even comparable to so many. $25 donated my friend. Love ya.
Hi Kari. I got linked to your blog tonight and cannot stop reading. All your stories, blogs, and inspiration in your journey with Him is EXACTLY what I needed today (and many many other days!!) Lately I’ve been asking something more and guidance; I couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. Then today I found your blog. Words cannot express the beauty and perfection of His timing. (AND-that last week our faucet was leaking, almost to the point of a small stream and I couldn’t take it! I told my husband there were people who go thirsty and dirty for weeks and here we are letting it run. I shut off the water under the sink (after almost breaking the pipes) and told him we had to do without for awhile. I wanted to do MORE knowing of the struggles worldwide. I was answered by your blog and donated without hesitation. Thank you for sharing this blog and your love for our Dear Savior. Many blessings, love, and prayers.
Miranda, I am overjoyed that you are here, and thank you so much for your kind encouragement!! I’m looking forward to growing more with you!! Isn’t His timing amazing? I love how He crosses our paths and it’s such a thrill to me to meet women seeking and loving JESUS! I’m so glad you reached out here, thank you! Look forward to getting to know you more … -Kari
Dear Kari, Jeff, Elle, Danielle, Janie, Amy, Debbie, Dad & Mom Zyp, Aaron & Candi, Heather, April, Melissa, Christina, Debra, Kristin, Miranda and any other readers who gave without commenting;
On behalf of Gospel for Asia I want to thank all of you for giving to build a Jesus Well. You gifts will not only bring clean water and better health to a whole community, but they will be a tangible gift of Christ’s love to each and every person who comes to drink there.
Thank you and God bless you all!
Cari Poweziak
Gospel for Asia
Aww..thanks Cari! What an awesome gift to have YOU comment here on behalf of GFA! THank you!