Sunday, November 20, 2005

help.

26,000,000 in Africa live with AIDS.

Another 3,000,000 will be infected this year.

6500 Africans will die of AIDS today.

1 Billion very important people lack access to clean water.

25,000 people lose their lives to water-related illnesses every single day.

"The two things Africa needs most are clean blood and clean water."
-Dan Halsetine

Maybe it is because Africa has become a wide spread topic of discussion these days. Or, maybe it is because I am becoming more and more aware of the need. Maybe it is just that God has placed something on my heart that I was ignorant to for most of my life. In any respect, I have been continued to be blown away by the unsettling facts about a crisis in our world that can be solved, but we have been lacking in our commitment to help those who are in need.

And what exactly would I say to someone who explained to me that clean water was something absolutely foreign? (I just looked around me to see - no joke - 7 empty bottles of purified water.) The truth is I do not think any of us can begin to imagine what it would be like to live life without a basic human right and necessity like water. And if we're really honest with ourselves we do not spend much time to stop and think truly what a gift it is to be in the situation we are in, where water and health is taken for granted. Water is free. You can order it in a restaurant for no charge. You have access to cold, clean water in any public restroom or from any public drinking fountain all over the United States.

What exactly do I say to the millions of orphans who no nothing of life with parents to guide them, to protect them, to care for them, to love them? I would hope - and this is where I am beginning to find myself - that I would have nothing to say to them. Not because I do not care, but because I am not spending my energy to mere lip service. No, I want my efforts to be directed in tangible actions. Americans have a unique opportunity and vast resources to help the world live a life that is pleasing and rid of unneccessary illness and death. Sub-Saharan Africa has just over 10% of the world’s population, but is home to more than 60% of all people living with HIV. (I am sitting in my nice, cozy, and comfortable apartment and I feel horrible that even with facts I still can not imagine the great pain of loss that the people there are facing.)

I know it has been extremely cliche to jump on the African Aide bandwagon, but I am not sure that a lot of people are doing anything else besides talk about the problem at hand. Americans love to talk. They are talking about the atrocities in Africa, but most - even the ones talking - are not doing much to be a living example of the words that they speak. People living with HIV/AIDS are dependant on clean water to survive. Millions of them in African lack access to that life saving water. Did you know that it costs just one dollar to provide one year of clean water for an African? That's only the beginning. One dollar. That's all it takes. I can make a difference, you can make a difference, we can make a difference in the lives of so many people who are just as important as we are and just as deserving of a healthy life.

So I would be a hypocrite of everything I have just said to not do what I can to be a blessing. It costs as little as 10 dollars to provide one person with a lifetime supply of clean water. The 1000 Wells Project is building 1000 wells in 1000 African communities. Many people are already contributing the resources that God's given to them. And since I have been blessed, I certainly want to be a blessing.

I am going to completely just go on a limb, but I would seriously love to see at least one person be touched enough that they would take this challenge up with me. The challenge that 1000 wells is giving is to, for two weeks, make water the only beverage that you drink. With the money that would have been spent on other beverages their desire is that it would be donated to this project.

I just can not stand to continually hear of what has been happening to God's creation for years and continue to hide behind my comfortable American existance. And if I can not be there - yet! - to physically help, then I will give what I can at this moment, my resources.

"Our knowledge now demands our action."
- Matt Odemark

Should you care to dig deeper...

1000 wells project

blood:water mission

lifewater international

africare


Please partner with me and keep me in your prayers as I make a small sacrfice to greatly benefit one of God's lovely children.

love.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you know how awesome I think you're entry was. Africa and the suffering of people there has been on my heart for a long time. I too would like to see more people begin to act instead of just talk. I believe that if we allow him to, God can and will do great things through us. Anyone want to come to Africa with me this summer?:)

william said...

Thanks Cassi. I would love to go, but I'll probably be working with kids back in the States for this summer at least!