LENT 2015: ONLY WATER
Yesterday afternoon I went for a run. Even though it’s February, I wore shorts and a t-shirt because it is unseasonably warm here in Denver (it’s been around 70 degrees each of the last several days). After my run I was soaked in sweat, and my mouth was dry.
I walked into my house, went to the kitchen, grabbed a glass from my cabinet, filled the glass with water from my tap and guzzled it. And then I did it a second time.
At this point, the part of this post that has no doubt caught your attention is my comment about the weather. However, this post has nothing to do with the weather in Denver. It has to do with the water I drank after my run.
I say this because drinking tap water is a luxury many of us think little or nothing about. But this is not the case for millions of men, women and children in our world today.
While I only ran a little over two miles, many in our world have to walk more than five miles each day to get water. On their return trip home they carry more than forty pounds of water. Still, it may not be water safe enough for drinking.
The numbers speak for themselves.
750,000,000 million people lack access to safe, clean drinking water. More than twice the population of the United States.
This lack of access is responsible for an estimated 842,000 deaths each year. That’s 2,300 deaths each day. Or 1 death every 38 seconds. Beyond the deaths caused by lack of clean water there is illness, blindness and disease.
Moms and dads. Sons and daughters. Sisters and brothers.
They have little choice in the matter, so they drink what they can get - all because of where they live. It is not right so many die simply due to lack of water.
But there is good news. In the last ten years the number of people lacking access to clean water has dropped. Which means fewer people are dying and falling ill. Thanks to dozens of organizations like Charity : Water more people are drinking clean water than ever before.
But it’s not just organizations making the difference. It is people like you and me. Many donate each year toward sustainable clean water projects, and thousands travel the globe to dig wells and provide education so more people than ever before can drink clean water. Which means we can do something about this. You and I can be those who choose to give so more people can have access to clean water.
Next Wednesday, February 18, 2015 is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. It is a day when faithful people around the world receive ashes on our foreheads to remind us we are dust, and to dust we will return. But it does not stop with ashes. It is an invitation for us to spend the season of Lent reflecting on the messiness and brokenness in our hearts and souls. Along with reflection, the Lenten Season is forty days of fasting as we prepare for the Resurrection.
This year I have chosen to fast from drinking anything but tap water. To be clear, that means: no coffee, no beer, no juice, no whiskey, no milk, no wine, no soda … (I think you get the idea). That translates into saving money.
Because anytime I would normally stop by a coffee shop for a $2.00 cup of coffee I will take that $2.00 and put it in an envelope. Every time I would normally buy juice at the grocery store, I will take that $3.50 and put it in an envelope. Rather than a glass of wine at dinner, or drinking a beer with friends I will take that money and put it in an envelope … (again, I think you get the idea).
I have figured out that over the course of forty days I will put away well over $200.00. What does that mean?
It means more people will have access to clean water and education about sanitation. Which means less illness and fewer deaths. According to Charity : Water every $1 donated will not only improve water supply and sanitation, but can yield from $4 to $12 for the local economy.
Which means clean water transforms lives, communities and generations. And we can be a part of this simply by drinking tap water for forty days.
100% of every dollar you give will be used to build clean water projects, and when they’re complete, charity: water will send us photos and GPS coordinates so we can see the exact community we helped. To join with us and learn more follow this link: Only Water Campaign. To add your name to those drinking only water, tweet here: @OnlyWater2015, #OnlyWater.
So, I invite you to join many others and me during this Lenten Season in changing lives and communities one drop of water at a time. I am not asking you to do more; I am simply asking you to do less.