Our churches have all asked us to remember our end-of-year giving. We look at our checkbooks and wonder how much this year. With presents, travel, Starbucks, Angel Tree children - is there any left?
Well, our church Irving Bible Church, has begun a new campaign to begin New Year's giving to a special project at the end of the old year. Confusing, huh? Well, one such project our church is sponsoring was quite startling.
Entitled "Water is Basic" - we've been charged to raise funds to help provide drilling equipment to dig wells in Southern Sudan in the name of Christ.
Here's a few facts:
Due to the civil war, millions of Sudanese fled the country. Now with the relatively stable peace, many of these refugees are returning. Two hundred and fifty thousand Sudanese refugees are expected to return to their homeland in 2007 alone, but they are returning to areas with no infrastructure or services, particularly water and sanitation. 20,000 wells will need to be drilled in Sudan to provide minimal (though not adequate) support.
Women and children in Sudan spend many hours a day trying to bring safe water to their families. Some are attacked by wild animals or raped on their long journeys to find water. For those who survive, time spent hauling water robs them of getting an education. In addition, women carrying water are frequently exposed to malnutrition and anemia, and children can develop scoliosis.
An average home in the west uses over 100 gallons of water each day. In contrast, an entire African family uses about five gallons of water each day. Just one flush of a toilet in the West uses more water than most Africans have to perform an entire day's washing, cleaning, cooking and drinking. UNESCO has calculated that to ensure that basic human needs are met, each person needs access to five to 13 gallons of water free from harmful contaminants each and every day.
What we can do:
The vision of Water is Basic is to see a well drilled in every village in Sudan. Funds raised will purchase the necessary equipment to drill water wells--drilling rigs, piping, trucks to carry the equipment and Sudanese workers. Sudanese nationals will be trained to drill, operate and repair their own water wells, empowering them to impact and sustain their communities. As the Sudanese work to provide the basic need of clean water, they will see the health of their people transformed through a reduction in disease and death.
To find out more, you can visit: www.waterisbasic.org
I'm not preaching, I'm just informing. Like a good journalist should! =)
This Christmas, please pray for those working on this project and those considering giving a gift. What great and mighty things can God accomplish through the drilling of wells. Won't it be neat to find out!
4 comments:
It's humbling to think I throw out half a glass of water every day, just because I was tired of it. And I waste so much more in long showers! Thanks for passing this on.
But oooohhh I do love my long showers. And I do pay for my water. So I guess that's ok. But just something we don't even think about that can affect so many people.
You know, I hadn't done much charity-wise this year for Christmas. So, I decided to get some cash in one dollar bills and put that in the Salvation Army bucket at all the places I shop... when I go in AND when I come out... sometimes trying to use the other door to get the other greeter. I like the bell ringers, they're fun. And I have enjoyed getting my dollar out and ready to put in the pot!
That's a neat idea Karbo. I'd like to do that too. Get rid of my spare change! =)
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