Over the past 3 years, we have increased our support of Water Missions International and the Walk for Water. This year, our church participated by reaching out to the children of our church and the children at the Learning Center. Water bottles were passed out to the children. Children were taught about the need for safe, clean water and the way they could help provide clean water to those less fortunate. Chad and I were lucky enough to be teaching Sunday School the day that the bottles were passed out to the children. As I have said so many times - we are more blessed than we can even imagine - we have more than we could ever need or want. It is hard to stop and process that we have all this yet SO MANY people in our world are still living without access to safe, clean water. The numbers are SHOCKING - statistics that take your breath away. I hope to share some of those with you in the near future. Chad and I had the task of sharing some of these facts with our 3rd grade Sunday School students, hoping to impact their thinking and encourage them to bring back water bottles filled with change!
In addition, we had the task of explaining this need to Payton.
I made it as simple as possible - I explained to Payton that he is lucky enough to have a sink, with a faucet that he can use to get drinking water. He was able to understand this simple fact.
I explained that he is lucky enough to take a shower, with clean warm water, every morning with his Daddy.
I explained that he is lucky enough to have water to play in - with water guns, sprinklers, and swimming pools.
He continued to understand each fact.
I used the Walk for Water brochure to show Payton pictures of young children carrying buckets on their heads - and explained that they had to walk, a long way, every day to get their water. I explained that the water they had in their buckets is dirty water. I explained that they don't have a sink to turn on and off whenever they want a glass of water. I explained that they don't ever have access to a shower, where clean, warm water can run over them while they "play" in the shower in the mornings. HE GOT IT! He got it! Really.
From that point on, we would ask him why we were collecting the money - and he would respond with a variety of answers - "For the little boy who has to get water in a bucket." or "For the little boy who can't take a clean shower." or "For clean water." He got it.
Each night we collected money and watched our bottles (one for each of "the boys") fill with change.
Our church team joined hundreds of other walkers on Saturday, March 19th to Walk for Water. I'm not sure of the final count, but our change really added up and the church raised over $4,000. We had the largest team.
We all joined together to walk - on a perfect sunny day in beautiful downtown Charleston. We all wore comfortable shoes and clothes. We carried an empty bucket, filled it with water, and carried it back to symbolize the walk so many make each day for water. It is an interesting contrast - we walked with friends, we used our Double BOB to push our children, we laughed, we had sunscreen, we made plans for Saturday night, we were given small cups of clean, cold water to drink along the route.
The walk is great. The purpose is WONDERFUL. The goal and mission of Water Missions is one I support 100% but the contrast of the two walks - the fundraising walk, and the actual walk that so many make should sink in with all those involved. If the cause touches you, look into it more and consider making a donation.
I'm involved in health care - I support the CF Foundation. I support St. Judes for research. I support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I want a cure for cancer as much as you do and I desperately want a cure for Cystic Fibrosis so my patients can breathe easy. No matter what cause we choose individually, we should support something near and dear to each of us. With that said, WMI and the Walk for Water and the cause they support, in my personal opinion, far exceeds these other needs - dirty water is WORLD WIDE - it kills children, adults, grandparents, cousins, husbands, friends WORLD WIDE. Support something - but after you support your cause - consider the magnitude of each and consider supporting WMI as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment