Water is essential to life. I was so amazed so I did some research. I remember sitting in the computer lab for 4 hours on a Friday night looking through tons of pictures and videos of dirty water. I learned very quickly that currently, 1 billion people on this Earth don't have access to clean water. That's 1 out of 8 people. Their water consist of E Coli, Hepatitis A, cow manure, pond, dirt, mud.. you get the point. They use this water to cook, bath, and drink. I mean, how do you use your water? Yeah, they use their water for the same reasons you and I do. Only difference is that our water is clear and clean compared to theirs. Dirty water leads to illnesses such as diarrhea which then would lead to face tumors. More severe, life threatening diseases. The life expectancy for people using this water is 38 years old. Children are uneducated because they are spending at least 8 hours a day in search for water. Women are unemployed because they are also spending their finding water. This leads to loss of dignity and loss of hope. They carry their water in Jerry cans (Yes, the ones you use to hold your gasoline). They carry around bright yellow tanks which hold up to 40-80 lbs.
Enough of all these statistics, charity water donates 100% of the public donations to the people who need it. They have two separate accounts. One for their team and one for water. And you ask, how will these people obtain clean water? Well, Charity: water has teamed up with some friends to help build wells that would feed a whole village! This past year they were able to give 1.4 million people clean water. Amazing. Yet, we still have a long way to go. Praise the Lord for an organization dedicated to saving lives and providing the most essential element to live: clean water.
Meet the man behind all of this. I am so humbled by the creator of charity. His name is Scott Harrison and he is my inspiration. After high school, he joined the party scene and got paid to drink for different companies. He eventually owned a high end club and made millions of money. He had everything. Eventually, he came back to God and became a man of faith. He applied to volunteer or work for many charities but got denied from many of them because of his resume of working as a night club owner. However, one organization accepted him (they had to because he was the only one who applied) and he sailed across the world to take pictures of people who had huge tumors on their faces in hopes of the doctors (who worked with this organization) to perform surgery. Those surgeries did work. However, many, I mean thousands of people were denied from this because they didn't have the time and money. It made Scott furious. So, he did some research and he realized that people were drinking, eating this water that made them terribly sick.
Thus, Charity:water was born.
Self Reflection. I realized that I was taking water for granted; and, that I personally waste gallons of water every day. Feeling like someone was shaking me, I started crying and feeling guilty about how I was taking my life for granted. I felt guilty and awful for using water like I had access to all the water I could possibly imagine. Reality check! Also, another crucial part I forgot to mention was the fact that they take photos of people accepting and drinking their new clean water!! As I was looking through those, I was sobbing and smiling at the same time. You know, whenever you smile really hard and you for some reason you're forcing yourself to stop but you can't, well that's the smile that I smiled every time I see a photo of the day or other pictures of genuine joy and contentment. Looking at those precious children getting water is God giving hope, salvation, joy, LIFE. It is truly amazing to know that these kids will have the possibility to go to school and receive and education. For women, dignity and hope to become leaders in their villages. AMAZING. BREATH TAKING. BEAUTIFUL.
I'm going to do something about this! I was trying to figure out what I could do to give back. I realized that I am currently unemployed and I had bigger plans than just giving $20 for a t-shirt and say I gave somebody 20 years of clean water. I wanted to go out with a bang. So I applied for a position on the Helping Hands Executive board (volunteer organization at school). I got the position that I wanted to plan special events and make charity my focus in the spring. Well, it's almost the spring semester now and I am so thankful, eager, full of joy that God has led me to this point. He has provided me with opportunities to serve Him. He broke my heart and made me realize how insignificant I am and how there are so many out their who are hurting, suffering and dying. I have a purpose. God is so good. He is faithful. He is love. I am deeply inspired by charity: water and Scott Harrison. May you always be in my heart. Excited to see what my ideas have to offer!
Here is the official website: http://www.charitywater.org/ , http://www.charitywater.org/media/videos/media.php
I recommend that you should check theses links out. All of them on the site! Trust me, it's worth it. I mean, if you've made it through reading up to this point. Might as well! :)
Photographs that make me smile. Hope they make you smile too.
All information was found at http://www.charitywater.org/
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