For the past few years, God has put something on my heart.
Water.
The lack of clean water in our world, especially 3rd world countries breaks my heart.
In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year just walking for water. Women and children usually bear the burden of water collection, walking miles to the nearest source, which is unprotected and likely to make them sick.
Time spent walking and resulting diseases keep them from school, work and taking care of their families.
This is not okay.
For the past few years, I have been a part of
Project 320 with 5 other bloggers who also have a heart for water & with your help we have been able to raise money through
charity:water to build wells for villages in Africa.
My husband's heart has also been broken by lack of clean water.
2 years ago, he was a small group leader for a group of high school seniors.
Our church had a pay it forward campaign and certain people at our church were given $100 and challenged to multiply that money or do something good with that money.
Kevin took $100 for his small group of high school boys and they decided they wanted to use that $100 to help fund a well through charity:water.
The high school boys set up a page on charity:water & then at school carried around a Jerry Can (the cans they use to collect water in Africa) and got donations from students & teachers. After a few months, they raised over $5000, enough for a well. The high school boys named their well project "LIFE WELL" because they knew that water is LIFE. And, by building a well, a village would now have new life. This was in the Spring 2010. They found out this Spring that their well was being built in Ethiopia. Last month, Kevin got an email from a woman, Viktoria, who works at charity:water saying she just came back from Ethiopia visiting the village where their well was built. The well was completed & working. The people in the village were so incredibly grateful. Here is a letter that Viktoria (who works for charity:water) sent Kevin:
Hi Kevin,
I work here at charity: water and I just got back from a trip to Ethiopia where we happened to visit the community where your well is currently serving people with clean water!
I thought you might like to see some photos, and a little video of it.
Also, the village gave us a beautifully framed photo of what their water looked like before, and what the well looks like after. They went through great lengths to go to the
nearest town and get it printed and framed, so I thought I'd mail it to you. If you can give me your mailing address, I'll send that along. I also have an Ethiopian scarf they gave me as a gift, so
I'll pass that on to you too.
You'll get a formal report from charity: water a few months from now, (it takes us some time to gather all the data and report back to everyone on their water projects) but I thought
I'd get this to you right away as I was just there.
Thanks so much for what you do for charity: water, I know the people here are so thankful, and so excited to be drinking clean water.
Viktoria HarrisonAlong with the letter, she attached these pictures of the villagers with the well:
Clean, fresh water has now saved this village. I get chills every time I see these pictures.
Close up of the plaque on the well.
It says Life Well, funded by Charity:Water.
The villagers were so grateful to Kevin & his group of high school boys that when Viktoria was in Ethiopia, they wanted to give her something to give to Kevin & the guys.
They took pictures of their water, before and after.
They traveled to another town to get the pictures framed.
Here are the villagers with the frame:
And, here is the frame that arrived at our house from Charity:Water via the small village in Ethiopia:
The village also sent an Ethiopian scarf that one of the woman in the village made as a thank you.
Amazing, Amazing, Amazing.
If this doesn't move you, I don't know what will.
Thousands of people die each day because of lack of clean water.
But, you can make a difference.
Here's how:
In 2009,
Project 320 was formed & with the help of all of you, we raised over $10,000 and funded 2 wells. 2 villages in Africa have clean water because of YOU.
Last year, in 2010, we raised over $5,000 and built another well that has changed the lives of the people in a village.
It's 2011, which means it's time to build another well!
We still have water on our hearts and minds.
We still want to do what we can to change lives half a world away.
We are going to use the same model we used last year for Project 320.
Monday, December 12th will kick off Project 320 Giveaway week.
We are inviting anyone with a blog, be it one followed by millions or dozens, to host a giveaway.
Handmade, vintage, or store bought. Freedom and creativity is the only guideline. It could be one pretty thing, or a whole bundle of fabulous.
Each $10 donation to the 2011 Project 320 Well will count for
one entry in
one giveaway.
Each blogger is then individually responsible for choosing a winner, verifying the donation, and shipping off the prize(s).
Little things= Big changes.
First thing Monday morning, a linky will be set up on the Project 320 page for you to add in your giveaway post.
Then use social media for good and spread the word.
Until then, think of what you would like to give away.
Post our button in your sidebar.
Write up a sneak peek post.
Pray.
Be ready to help change the world one village at a time.
Can't wait to see what God does next week!
Let's build another Well!!!
I hope you will join us!
I have to admit, I wasn't sure we were going to pull it off again this year.
Thank You for Giving water this Christmas.
Congrats, Jonnique!
I have to admit, I wasn't sure we were going to pull it off again this year.
Thank You for Giving water this Christmas.
Congrats, Jonnique!
