Clean Water, Living Water

My posts have focused mostly on the hunger that is faced by those who live in areas that do not have access to food.  But it is important to realize that they also often don't have access to clean water.

I've mentioned before that I know my project doesn't duplicate the situation of those who are suffering due to starvation, because they are also living in conditions that we, as Americans, cannot fathom.

We take clean water for granted.  It is always there...to drink, to wash, to even flush away our waste.  In fact, bottled water (often packaged out of a tap in some unknown city) is big business here.  Apparently our clean water is not always clean enough for us (myself included).

A few years ago during Advent, my church decided to spend some of their Christmas shopping money on gifts that would make a difference in the lives of others.  We purchased two wells.

Well, they were not wells at that time.  But we paid to have wells dug so that people in two communities in Peru would finally have access to clean drinking water.

Can you imagine being that excited about water?

The organization is Living Water International.  According to their website, they can provide one person with clean water for a year for $.98...about the price of one cold bottled water at your nearest convenience store.

Their current promotion is called "With this Ring".  This started with a woman who sold her wedding ring because she felt that it was ridiculous to have that much money on her finger when she could be doing something to make a difference with it.  Awesome.

On this website, you can sell your extra jewelry (or even your precious jewelry) or you can purchase some of the donated jewelry.  All proceeds go to new wells.

Your gold and silver are corroded. 
Their corrosion will testify against you 
and eat your flesh like fire. 
You have hoarded wealth in the last days.
--James 5:3