Currently Listening Share the Well By Caedmon's Call see related

A pessimist, the say, sees a glass of water as being half empty; an optimist sees the same glass half full. But a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who is thirsty. (G. Donald Gale)

Last Spring, our church participated in two local community days. We had an informational booth where we shared some propaganda about our congregation. But the cool thing about our involvement was that fact that we gave away free, ice-cold bottled water. It was fun to simply bless people with a refreshing drink on a warm, spring day and it reminded me of what a gift just a few ounces of water can be to a thirsty person.

As we distributed the water, we also shared some information about World Vision’s Trachoma project in Tanzania and gave people the opportunity if they so desired to make a contribution to a well project in that country. Trachoma is the world’s leading cause of preventable blindness impact over 6 million men, women, and children throughout the world. Caused by bacteria, trachoma spreads rapidly in communities where people don't have enough water to wash their hands and faces regularly. Washing with as little as one liter of clean water each day can prevent the disease. But for people living in places like drought-prone Africa, even a few ounces are too precious in light of their struggle to find enough clean water to drink.

Did you know:

• there are almost 300 million people living in Africa who have no access to safe drinking water;
• in many villages, women must walk over eight miles a day to obtain safe drinking water;
• nearly 150 children die every hour in Africa from complications surrounding a lack of clean water;
• in many African villages, clean water is available, right below their feet; they simply do not have the means to bring it to the surface.

It does not have to be this way – change is possible. Organizations like World Vision, Blood:Water Mission, WaterAid and LifeWater International have teams ready to drill clean-water wells. In many communities, the only obstacle is money.

Pray; educate, activate, donate, involve others – what would a next step look like for you?

As Derek Webb says, “there’s a kingdom coming where you will not thirst. And we’re going to pray that day into today. We’re going to work for that day to come today.” May it be so!

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